


The cost of freedom

by Vykyll



Series: The Price We Paid. [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Background Relationships, Bloody Horror, Character Death(s), Eventual Sex, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Fade Rifts, Fade Spirits, Freedom, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Hawke's Legacy, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, None Traditional Inquisitor, None Traditonal Mage(s), Not Beta Read, Other, Past Character Death, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Platonic Relationships, Red Templars, Self-Discovery, Solas Being an Asshole, Spirits Are People Too!, Spirits Uprising., The Veil (Dragon Age), Varric Tethras is a Good Friend, discontinued series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2018-12-27 03:03:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 73,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12072303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vykyll/pseuds/Vykyll
Summary: The cost of freedom came with a massive price. War, fighting, tragedy, so much death and destruction. The cost of freedom was a heavy price to pay for everyone. Part two of the series The Price We Paid.******An AU where the Inquisitor is, not what everyone expected. It's wasn't what they expected either when they look at the green glow on their hand. But they wont be alone when several people they know arrive in Haven to help them set the world to right's.





	1. Prologue.

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back to the second part of the series The Price We Paid. It is HIGHLY recommended to read the first part of the series to basically get the jist of what's happening here.. And thank you for stopping by :)

Running. That was all he could do  when the fearlings behind him started chasing him. He had no idea where they came from when he started going up the steep slope.  
  
He barely remembers anything pushing up the steeps steps to get away from them. Why doesn't he remember anything? Why can't he remember what happened?  
  
He looked behind himself down the steep slope and swallowed loudly pushing himself on. A woman, a glowing woman he should recognise was putting her hand out to him. Why doesn't he recognise her, he should!  
  
The fearlings where right behind him when the hand reached out for him, and he pushed up the last remaining few steps to take her hand. She wouldn't be able to pull him up when she almost grabbed it.  
  
A green flash blinded his eyes, and then... he was falling.  
  
The ground hit him hard when he landed, and tried to lift his head to see. But everything hurt, everything felt odd when he collapsed onto the ground unconsciouses.  
  
*****  
  
Fenris chuckled chasing Bear around the field, the little boy squealing trying to get away from the elf chasing him. Mutton chased them both with her tongue lolling out, yipping and boofing.  
  
Anders rolled his eyes brushing the dirt from his hand's when he stood up from planting more Elfroot in the herb garden. Joe put her hand's on her hip's wrinkling her nose up at the three chasing each other.  
  
"Maker, all I suggested was they run off Bear's energy and now look," she giggled stepping into the garden waving her hand's at them.  
  
"All your fault, sweetheart. I told you it was a bad idea, but nooooo, no-one ever listens to Anders the magnificent!"  
  
Joe narrowed her eyes and Anders then let a slow grin crawl over her face when she slowly stalked forward, "Oh, you starting are you?"  
  
"No!" Anders squeaked putting up his dirty hand's shaking his head, "I would never with you! Well, not always."  
  
"Mmm hmm, so why you backing away? I'm only one defenceless half-dwarf mage."  
  
"Right, and I'm the Queen of Antiva!"  
  
Joe snorted and chased after Anders when he threw up his finger's at her, sticking out his tongue. Bear squeaked more when Anders picked him up and ran out into the open field, Fenris, Mutton and Joe chasing them.  
  
And then everyone stopped when they saw the explosion of green in the sky. They all stood and watched the sky blow outward and then heave, a green swirl like a maelstrom heaved once more.  
  
"Holy Maker and his bride," Joe muttered and then stumbled backwards at the same time as Anders. They both looked at each other with their mouth's open then back up at the sky.  
  
"The fade! But how?" Anders said in shock handing Bear over to Joe.  
  
"Venhedis, are you sure?"  
  
"Yes love, we're both sure," Anders waved between himself and Joe, "How is that even possible?"  
  
"Oh no," Joe whispered slowly looking back at Anders, "The Conclave! It's over where the Conclave is. Oh Maker no, no no!"  
  
Anders face paled looking back at her then to Fenris, "All those people. All those sodding people, what the hell happened?"  
  
"The mages, the Templars, the Divine, all of them!"  
  
"Fasta Vass," Fenris muttered out looking back up at the green in the sky, "who would do such a thing? I thought it was going to bring peace, but this," he waved his hand towards the swirl fade, "is not peace."  
  
"Mama, I'm scared," Bear said quietly putting his head closer on her shoulder.  
  
"Me too little Bear, me too."


	2. Chapter 2

Images rushing through his mind, trying to piece together what happened, but nothing was making sense none of it was. Running, fearlings, the woman he should recognise, the green flash that burned his hand when he touched her. None of it made sense.  
  
He just can't remember why he was running in the first place. Everything was confusing, everything. He can remember before, but he can't remember what happened leading up to the fearlings. It was as if he cleansed his own mind to forget. He didn't want to forget, he wanted to remember!  
  
He jerked his eyes open when a sword touched his throat, more then one sword was pointed at him and he looked down trying to lift his hand's when he felt something heavy on them. His eyes widened at the shackle's he was in, chained to the floor and pulled on it. Why was he shackled, he didn't want to be shackled, he wasn't going to hurt anybody around him, that's not what he was any more.  
  
He looked down at the pain in his hand and flinched when it sparked, and he sighed feeling the fade run through it, going through his body. It hurt yes, but it wasn't painful, in-fact, it, felt really nice when he looked at it more, the pain was coming from several small cut's over his finger's. He flexed his hand's when he looked at them and slowly looked up at the people around him. They all had their sword's out pointing at him with sneer's on their face's. Why where they so angry with him, he didn't do anything, he hoped he didn't do anything terrible.  
  
A door slammed open making him jump at it. Two women came through, one with her face partially covered and the other, pulled her own sword free when the other's around him backed away.  
  
"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you now!"  
  
He looked at her and shook his head, what was he supposed to say, he had no idea what was going on.  
  
"Do you remember what happened," the other woman spoke with a softer voice, "do you remember how you got here?"  
  
"I, I do not. I am sorry I do not know."  
  
"Why should I believe you? And what is this?" the angry woman grabbed his hand as it sparked, and she sneered at him when she let his large hand go.  
  
"I, have no idea. I remember running, being chased by fearlings. And a woman. She put her hand out and, then, this happened. I do not remember anything else!"  
  
"A woman! Hmm. But you don't remember how you got here?" she said kneeling down in-front of him. Was he that big or was she that small?  
  
"Leliana, enough. He's lying!"  
  
"I don't think he is, Cassandra. Maybe you should show him."  
  
The woman Cassandra scoffed, putting her sword away waving to the rest of the people to leave. She pulled a set of key's from her waist and undid the chain that attached to the floor, then yanked on it for him to stand. Something was very very wrong here. He shouldn't be here, he knows this when he follows her up a set of stair's ducking to get under everything. He wanted to, but he was afraid to do it. She pulled harder on his chain and walked him through a building he didn't recognise, and looked about himself as they walked through. Candles lined wall's, banners lined columns, but looked all very, run down.  
  
The sun hit his eyes and he had to put his hand up to block it, blinking several time's before lowering his arm. He looked about himself in awe, everything was coated in fine white snow, tent's and people milled about, but several where looking directly at him, whispering and pointing, accusing looks on their face's. He felt a familiar tug on him and looked up at the sky and gasped.  
  
"We call it the breach," Cassandra spoke quietly when it heaved in the sky and spread out more, but he didn't flinch, just looked down at his hand when it sparked, "It grows larger with each passing day."  
  
"I, did not do this! There is no way I did this. It's impossible."  
  
"Perhaps," she said sharply tugging on his chain, "but you where there. Something went wrong when her most Holy started her talks between the mages and Templars. All of them are gone. And you are the only one standing with this mark on your hand."  
  
"What do you want me to do?" he asked her looking at the fade piece in his hand.  
  
"Help us close the breach before it spreads over the world."  
  
He looked down at her and tilted his head, he was definitely taller then most around him, "I will help. But-"  
  
"I already know, creature. I am not blind to what you are. Though if She saw fit to send you in our hour of need, then so be it, I will not judge Her decision."  
  
He furrowed his brow then nodded putting his hand's out for her to unshackle him, "I am not a creature. I am," he stopped to think when the shackle's fell on the floor, "I, do not have a name as you mortals do, that I can remember."  
  
Cassandra snorted and motioned with her head for him to follow. The people, as they went by, jeered and booed at him, accusing him of killing some woman he's never heard of. He looked away from the people and looked ahead of himself when they went through a set of heavy door's. More people ran down the slope asking their Maker for help, but he shrugged, that name meant nothing to him, never has done. The sky heaved again spreading outward and felt the spark in his hand flicker.  
  
"You may not remember how you got here, but there was a woman behind you when you came out of the fade. We believe it was Andraste who sent you. We need to move on though, we have a way's to go before we reach the forward camp."  
  
He walked beside her, he felt no magic coming from her but he did feel that she was touched by another of his kind a long time ago. He looked down sideway's at the woman, she was fierce and loyal, that he knew just by looking at her, but she seemed, lost. Much like himself now that he was in the mortal world. He's wanted this for sometime, but he had no idea how much time has passed.  
  
"Forgive me for asking, but what year is it, mortal?"  
  
"Ugh," she scoffed when she stopped looking up at him, "I have a name, please use it. And it is 9:41 Dragon."  
  
He balked at the date. Four year's had passed, four year's. He shook his head and strode onward letting her catch up to him when he stepped foot of the bridge. He was about to ask her something else, when a huge bolt of green hit the bridge exploding stone and the people on it everywhere. Both he and Cassandra tumbled off onto the ice below, when more bolt's of the fade hit the ground.  
  
He ground his teeth when he sat up, feeling Shade's under the surface of the ice. Cassandra pulled her sword and shield free and charged off towards one ahead of them that came out of the ice. He gritted his teeth when another started to rise in-front of him. He looked about himself for a weapon when it breached the ice, and spotted a broken crate to one side, a cache of broken weapon's strewn about. He ran over when spotted the two-hander and grabbed it as he swung round when the Shade went to attack him.  
  
The shade backed away from him when he swung out at it, and then cowered lowering it's head in submission before he brought the two-hander down on it's head. He sneered kicking the thing away before it vanished then turned to help Cassandra when the other Shade swiped at her. He put his sword in-front of him and charged at it, pulling on his spirit warrior self before running it through. He pulled his sword free, then felt another pressed at his back, "Drop it, now!"  
  
"I will not. How do you expect me to defend you with no weapon, mort- Cassandra? Wave my hand's about like a mad man raving? Tell them all a story? Or perhaps I shall roll on my back like a Mabari in the snow to entertain them."  
  
He looked over his shoulder at her, and smirked when her cheek's went bright red before she sighed, "A sense of humour? Fine you may keep the weapon, but I don't need defending, I can do that myself!"  
  
"What ever you say, Cassandra."  
  
"Ugh."  
  
He shook his head and held the two-handed sword in one hand when they ran up another slope. He had the sudden desire to have a shield in the other hand, and sighed at the thought. The sound of fighting echoed up ahead and they both pushed on. More demon's poured out from the fade piece's falling from the sky and he rolled his eye's when Cassandra, once again, ran ahead of him. He held his two-hander out in one hand, and clenched the other where the fade spark was, and let it run through him giving him the strength he needed when he charged as well at the wraith on the hill. And like the Shade's it cowered before he struck it down. 'Too easy', he thinks, 'I need a challenge'.  
  
"We need to hurry, I do not think they can take much more," Cassandra said running past him up yet another slope, her sword and shield still in her hand's.  
  
He bounded up after her, the sound of fighting and people falling just over the crest. And he stopped when he saw a figure he knew in the thick of it all and grinned wide jumping down the broken bridge to join the fray. He looked at the tear in the fade pushing Shade's out, and growled low in his throat when he raised his sword to strike the cowering fool's around him.  
  
The tear flickered briefly before sighing, then felt his hand being thrusted forward to it. The tug against his hand made him go wide eyed as the tear closed completely and yanked his hand free from the one who grabbed it.  
  
"What did you do?" he asked the bald headed elf staring at him with narrowed eyes, "and why are you looking at me like that?"  
  
"I did nothing. You where the one who closed the tear with the mark on your hand. I thought it would work when I studied your hand while you, where sleeping. And it seemed I was righ-"  
  
"He means, I kept that thing from kill- Maferath's nutsack YOUR HUGE!"  
  
He looked down at the dwarf and nodded his head at him, "Hello again Varric. It, has been sometime."  
  
Varric frowned looking at up at him, pulling his glove's on more, "I don't believe we've met. Your bigger then a fri- No, we've never met."  
  
"But we have. Under the Gallows back in Kirkwall. Even in- we have met. Though, I was not entirely myself back then, Varric. And I am sorry for what I did while I was in Anders. For what I did to Justice."  
  
Varric's eyes go huge and stumbles backwards, falling onto his backside over a broken stone. He watched the dwarf's mouth flap open several time's before he started to speak again, "Vengeance? Holy shit!"  
  
"Yes. Though not entirely," he tilted his head and smiled softly at the dwarf, "You can thank Joe for that."  
  
Varric's mouth flapped again looking him over, the shook his head righting himself when he stood up, "Well this is just fucking great," he looked up at Vengeance and wrinkled his nose, "You'd better not start shit Vengeance or I'll set Bianca on you. Understand!"  
  
"I would never. It's not, who I am any more, Varric. I've changed."  
  
Varric shook his head and stomped off away from everyone.  
  
"I am Solas, though spirit, you are very puzzl-"  
  
"WE DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" Cassandra ground out pointing to the breach, "We have to leave, now!"  
  
Vengeance nodded his head and held his sword firm in his hand when he bounded forward. They truly didn't have much time when the sky heaved again, they needed to get to this forward camp.Cassandra ran ahead of them all pointing the way with her sword, and pushed on up the slopes more to a set of heavy looking gate's with yet another tear in the way. Vengeance wrinkled his nose when he strode forward, putting his hand out. He pulled back hard against the tug and closed the tear while the rest picked of the cowering Lessers.  
  
Cassandra ordered the door's to open, and they all walked through to the sound of people arguing ahead of them.  
  
*****  
  
Joe put the letter down after reading it three time's and shook her head while she looked over the bag's on her bed. She packed everything they would need when they go to Haven. Maker, she hated the idea of leaving the farmstead behind, but this was important. They had no livestock any more thanks to the sodding bandit's taking over Caer Bronach, but at least the plant's would take care of themselves when they left. Anders wasn't happy about it, but they all needed to go when Varric sent them the message.  
  
It made hardly any sense when they read it together, Varric sounded like a bloody mad man, going on about the Herald was someone they all knew, and wouldn't believe it when they see them. There weren't many people left they knew, she highly doubted it would be Aveline, she hasn't left Kirkwall in year's. Certainly wasn't Varric, Maker now that would of been hilarious if it was. It wasn't Orana either, she was Aveline in the barracks. All he kept saying it was someone they all knew, who was with someone else. She was going to kick the dwarf when she sees him, because he's lost his sodding mind.  
  
"Mama, where are we going again?"  
  
"Haven, Bear. It's not too far away from here," she smiled at her son. Maker, he was so scared when the sky burst open. They all were, "We'll be seeing an old friend. You remember uncle Varric, don't you?"  
  
Bear nodded his head vigorously then giggled flopping down on the bed, "He had funny stories."  
  
"And his crossbow Bianca," Fenris added putting his own bag's down next to Joe's, "I do believe that's everything, except Anders, who's still fussing around outside talking to the Elfroot."  
  
Joe rolled her eyes at him and they both snickered. Anders loved his herb garden, it was his baby and hated it when everyone else started going through it for certain thing's. Maker the amount of time's he's slapped her hand's for picking the Embrium wrong or standing on the Spindleweed. Fenris kissed her on the cheek then ruffled Bear's head before going back outside to get his damned husband to pack.  
  
Joe looked over to her son, the boy was now snoozing on-top of the bag's with Mutton tucked under his arm. She smoothed down his wild hair, she needed to trim it soon, then kissed his cheek before joining Fenris to get Anders to pack. She smiled when she looked out the window as Anders shooing his husband away while talking the the Elfroot. Two year's they've been married, un-officially, but it didn't bloody matter when they both made each other happy. Joe sighed when she looked down at the ring still on her finger, and smiled running her finger over it.  
  
"Venhedis, Amatus, we have to leave soon. The plant's will be fine without us for a while!"  
  
"But, my babies."  
  
Joe put her hand over her mouth at Anders face when Fenris dragged him to their room. They really where his babies. Joe looked at her bow sitting on the wall, ready and waiting and grinned when she pulled it down, along with her quiver. Not like they haven't used them, they have, with the bandit's running about, and going off the Storm coast every now and then.They've been to quite a few place's over the past four and a half year's, going back to Denerim to see her brother and brother-in-law, going to Kinloch when it fell during the fighting. Even went down to Lothering, and that place broke all their heart's when they looked upon it. The field's where still tainted, hardly anyone lived there any more, they even found Orran's old home burnt to the ground. They all wept looking at it, all holding each other, remembering.  
  
They met up with Shayle again when she was still escorting Shaperate Cadash about, the old dwarf giving her and her son and appraising look while they spoke a while. He couldn't stay long, more surface ruin's and thing's to explore. Even Shayle was polite, to a degree, still gave Anders a hard time and he gave back just as much.  
  
"Come on little Bear, Mutton, you can sleep on the way there. We have to get going."  
  
Bear snorted and rolled onto his back and grinned, Mutton licking his chin before she jumped off the bed, "How long?"  
  
"About three day's. I know boring, but they'll be snow up that way you two can roll around in," she grinned back at him.  
  
"And uncle Varric."  
  
"And cranky uncle Varric."


	3. Chapter 3

Vengeance sat in his cabin looking down at his hand, the small piece of fade flicking within his palm. He tilted his head looking at it more, running his other hand over it to feel the hum against his finger's. It was definitely not how he wanted to come here, and he definitely didn't expect to be thrust into the Herald thing when he sealed the breach partially. It would need more power to do so, and he didn't have what they need within himself.  
  
And he needed a name other then Vengeance or Justice. He was neither, but he was both. Solas kept trying to talk to him, but he felt the elf was off. He didn't know what yet, but there was something off about the elf. Which is why he was sitting in the cabin now to avoid the strange elf, and to keep away from Varric and his temper. He doesn't remember Varric being so angry when he last saw him, but he wasn't one to talk considering what he did.  
  
Vengeance sighed dropping his hand onto his thigh and looked about his cabin more, looking at all the thing's left for him from everyone. He had a new two-hander, which he was grateful for and new armour, even if the smithy was, a little scared of him. The apothecary mage was nice enough, albeit a little brash. Vengeance didn't mind the brashness as long as he was true, to which the man was. The Quartermaster on the other hand, hated him the moment she saw him, he didn't mind that either considering what her General did during Ostagar, she could   
fall into a pit of lava all he cared.  
  
Now Commander Cullen was a bit of a shock to his system when he saw the ex-Templar. Oh his blood boiled within him, but kept it under wrap's when they actually spoke. After how he treated Hawke and the other's, he was surprised the man was still alive. But Cullen didn't see what was happening until it was too late, and by then, well, Vengeance tried not to think about it.  
  
The other people around the encampment where still very wary of him, an ex-spirit of the fade coming into being a Herald of Andraste, and his size didn't help either, towering well over everyone.  
  
He huffed sigh when he stood up, looking at the new clothes Josephine had gotten him, then wrinkled his nose up at them. They where ugly. They looked like pyjama's some mortals wear when he picked them up to look at, then threw them in the fire. He needed something better then that to walk around in, and he couldn't wear the heavy armour all the time, and decided to go ask Harritt if he knew anyone who could make some his size. And if he couldn't, he would suffer the wrath of one Josephine when he'll tell her what he did.  
  
Vengeance chuckled to himself when he left the cabin, everyone maybe wary of him, but nobody anger's the Antivan woman. Nobody. Like nobody angered Cassandra nor Leliana, lest they suffer with either a sword at the neck or a dagger in the back.  
  
He walked down the steps to the smithy and spotted Varric and Cassandra waving their hand's at each other. He titled his head when he slowly walked over to listen.  
  
"Have you lost your mind dwarf! You asked them to come!"  
  
"What's the matter Seeker? Too much competition for being out brooded?"  
  
"Don't be ridiculous. I can't believe you asked them to come, that they that-" Cassandra shook her head and slumped her shoulder's, "Varric, are you sure this is wise?"  
  
Varric grinned wide at her crossing his arm's over his chest, "Oh, yes, I really really do."  
  
"But, the boy!"  
  
"Will be fucking fine. They all will. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have thing's to do Seeker," Varric turned on his heel and grinned up wide at Vengeance saluting him, "Have fun."  
  
Vengeance frowned after the dwarf then frowned even more looking at Cassandra rubbing her face, leaning on the training dummy, "Dare I ask what that was all about?"  
  
"The dwarf," Cassandra sighed pushing away from the dummy, "has sent for help. Friend's, I might add. They shall be here shortly, and I, am not prepared for it, and neither will you be when they come."  
  
"I, don't understand? Who's coming?"  
  
"Why are you not wearing the new clothing Josephine gave you?" she said. He knows she's changing the topic on purpose.  
  
"They where ugly. And beige. And now in the fire keeping my cabin warm," Vengeance smirked at her, "If I wish to wear pyjama's I would, but I do not."  
  
Cassandra looked up at him shocked, then, a slow side smirk went up her face before she barked a laugh at him, "Sweet Maker, don't tell Josephine. She'll skin you alive."  
  
"Yes because I wish to suffer the wrath of her. I will only tell her if Harritt can't help me with better, attire then this," he plucked at the shirt then wrinkled his nose up dropping his hand to his side, "Cassandra who is coming, and should I be worried?"  
  
"You will soon see, Herald. And you, worried, I hardly think so."  
  
It was Vengeance's turn to bark a laugh at her before shaking his head walking over to Harritt. He really did need more clothing then the other beige monstrosity he was wearing. Beige, whoever thought that colour was nice ought to be hung!  
  
*****  
  
The elf was watching him again when he exited the apothecary with a handful of vial's he was trying to stuff into his pocket's. He knew the odd elf wanted to ask him question's but he was in no mood to talk to him when he walked the other way. Void take him if he wasn't nervous about these people who where coming. He had no clue whom it would be as he strolled down the steps and out the huge wooden door's, past the soldier's practicing under Cullen's tutelage.  
  
He strolled past the small cabin that was tucked away in the copse and into the snow packed valley beyond. Vengeance breathed in deeply when he slowed his pace down, pausing briefly to watch the rams dart about, nugs digging in the ground, and smiled watching them all. He still needed a name, and one that wasn't associated with Herald. Void, he hated the title already, being thrust upon him by Cassandra. Leliana, and everyone else around him.  
  
He needed to go to the Hinterland's soon to find this Mother Giselle and find the horse-master, as if he knew how to ride a horse. Vengeance shook his head as he walked further in the valley, there was so much to do and he was more then happy to do it all, if the other's didn't bicker all the time.  
  
A small squeal in the distance made him stop and listen as another rang out as well as a yip. Vengeance frowned walking further, pushing the branches of tree's out the way as more squeal's and yips came closer. He stopped dead when a little mortal boy came running up to him and grinned wide before darting off with snow in his hand. The boy, the small mortal child had a blue aura about him, he sang like lyrium too. Vengeance followed the boy through the wood's, and heard the yips again and the boy came running back into the wood's with-  
  
Vengeance stopped dead when he looked down at the small animal yipping at him.  
  
"Hello," the boy said to him grinning, "this is my dog, Mutton."  
  
"Hello little one," Vengeance tilted his head, it couldn't be, could it? It has been over four year's, "Where is your mother?"  
  
The boy giggled and pointed behind him, "Sitting down on a stone, listening," he grinned up at him.  
  
"Can you take me to her, little one? I wish, I wish to say hello."  
  
The boy nodded dropping the snow right on-top of Mutton making the small Mabari boof shaking it off, and ran off out the copse. Mutton looked up at him and whined slightly before boofing and running off herself. Vengeance followed them out, keeping an eye on the boy in-case he hurt himself. Why was he thinking about that? Vengeance shook his head catching up with the boy and dog, the boy smiling up at him, "My name is Alistair. But everyone calls me Ali or Bear. And your a spirit."  
  
Vengeance nodded his head at Bear and swallowed. He was indeed who he thought he was. The flaxen hair, the blue-green eye's, the grin. He was a mixture of both his mother and father, and a mage.  
  
"Mama, MAMA, I found a friend!"  
  
"Maker's breath, really Bear? I hope it's not one of those druffalo again! They stink!"  
  
Vengeance couldn't help but bark out a laugh. She wasn't wrong there, they did smell.  
  
Bear looked up at him and grinned again, pointing to where his mother was coming over a rise, and Vengeance's heart pounded hard in his chest. She looked no different then when he first remembers her, bar her hair being slightly longer.  
  
Joe smiled at her son ruffling his hair then stopped dead in her track's when she looked up at him. She stepped back a few pace's with her eyes wide open looking him over, then looked straight at his hand.  
  
"Ancestor's have mercy! Vengeance? But how!"  
  
"It was not my intention. It, sort of happened," he smiled picking up his hand, "I had not realised over four year's had passed by. But I found myself in the mortal world, with this thing on my hand."  
  
"JOE? Fasta Vass where did you go you insufferable woman! Anders is cooing over the nugs!"  
  
"Um, Fenris, I think you should go drag him here, cooing or no. I think you both should see who the Herald is. Together."  
  
Joe looked back at him and tilted her head frowning slightly while Bear sat down in the snow beside her, throwing it at the Mabari while she tried to catch it in her mouth, "Holy shi-um, sugar! I can't believe- your still a spirit!"  
  
"And half mortal," he nodded, "I forgot how much you sang like lyrium. Like Bear does. Much different then other mages."  
  
Joe blushed profusely at him and ducked her head, "Yes, well, anyway, I think, I think we should go meet the other two half way. Anders wont give up nug cooing for anyone. As bad as Elfroot talking. Daft git."  
  
"Lead the way Joe. Though, I am not eager to meet Anders again, nor Fenris," Vengeance shuddered slightly remembering what he did in Anders body. He was never meant to of been that, angry, but the mages emotion's overpowered him more then it did Justice. Fenris on the other hand was more then eager to kill Anders in-case he ever got out of control, which he did, often.  
  
Bear and Mutton ran ahead, while Joe walked beside him. He slipped his eyes closed feeling the magic and the song within her go through him. The boy had the same feeling, just as strong as hers. It was the same when she took his hand's in hers telling him there was a better way then what he was feeling, what he was doing. If it where not for her, he would of corrupted himself completely with his anger and lust for Vengeance. He would never of taken Justice's essence within himself to find a better path, a path of both.  
  
"Venhedis, who is that?"  
  
"Oh... shit!" Anders put up his hand pushing Fenris behind him, letting fire swirl about in it aiming it at him.  
  
"Anders, Fenris, just- ANDERS STOP!"  
  
"Joe get away from him!" Anders let the fire grow larger.  
  
"Maker's breath you bloody idiot. Are you really going to kill the bloody Herald?" Joe snarked at him, picking her son up shaking her head, "Put it away for the love of everything."  
  
Fenris' eye's went huge stepping back from Anders looking up at him, Anders barked a laugh then sneered his lip, still aiming his hand, "Not bloody likely. Herald or no, how in the hell did IT get here?"  
  
"I am not an IT, Anders. I am Vengeance, I am Justice. Not an IT, a creature, or some puppet on the string. And quiet frankly, being called Herald of Andraste is just disturbing, even for me!" Vengeance rolled his eyes, crossed his arm's over his chest and huffed a sigh, "at least I'm no golem trying to crush bird's under her feet. Or a Qunari bent on trying to bring the Qun to everyone. Or a mad woman with a red glowing sword! Grow up mage, I am not here to hurt you, or anyone else. So put it away like she said or I'll dunk your head in the snow!"  
  
Anders shook his head stepping back nearly tripping over Fenris behind him, "Andraste's flaming knickers. Fine, fine I'll put it out, but I warn you Vengeance-"  
  
"Yes yes, the dwarf already went through all that. I do not know why he is angry with me, I did nothing to him."  
  
Joe nudged his arm making him look down at her, she just rolled her eyes and nodded over to Anders before chuckling, "Well, I'm glad there's someone else to kick him up the backside when he plays up."  
  
"I don't play up! I'm perfectly capable of behaving!"  
  
"Fasta Vass, Amatus. No you are not. Cooing at nugs, cooing at plant's, cooing at kitten's. Your insufferable. Why I put up with you is anybodies guess."  
  
"You love me that's why," Anders grins cocking his hip at Fenris, "And I don't coo at everything!"  
  
"Oh Maker, here we go again. Come on Vengeance, show me around Haven. Bear wants to see more of it," Joe snickered walking away from the bickering pair putting her son down.  
  
Bear ran off again chasing Mutton, while Anders and Fenris mocked each other behind them. He thought it was going to be worse then this, he was expecting to die right there and then, but the mage had changed, Fenris has been good for him. He looked down at Joe, the woman was throwing snow at her son while the dog run around in circle's around them, and he smiled looking forward again.  
  
"I suggest the small Inn they have in the encampment. It serves good food and ale. And have you spoken to Varric yet? He was expecting you."  
  
"Of course! Cranky uncle Varric has a bit of a chip on his shoulder, and it's nothing to do with you. He's having to deal with the rebuilding back in Kirkwall after what the Templars and mages did. Maker and Ancestor's, they really did do a fucking number on the city after we left. I'm glad we did, and I'm glad Elthina was tried for the murder's she committed. The entire place was a great big-"  
  
"-pile of dog shit? I do remember. I added to some of it, which I regret doing more then anything," Vengeance lowered his head when they walked past the small cabin, "I killed a mage girl, and for what, because I confused a mage with a Templar? She, smelt like them, and I ignored Justice when he screamed for me to stop. Both he and Anders where blinding me, I, could not see what I was doing."  
  
Joe stopped and he turned around, she was looking down at the ground and scuffed the snow before sighing, "Justice is blind, Vengeance is blind. You both, couldn't see. I knew Justice was blind when I met him. But, I had no idea you couldn't see either at the time. I guess Justice and Vengeance are one an the same just with different, ideal's."  
  
Vengeance tilted his head, she was not wrong. He was blind to what he was doing.  
  
"I suppose so. But I can see perfectly well and so did Justice. Though having his, well, ideal's and memories in me made me see beyond what I was doing. And now, look at me," he picked up his arm's and shrugged making Joe chuckle when he flopped them out and blew a raspberry, "All I have to do is fix the world. No small task. Though, I am glad Varric sent for you."  
  
"Oh? We where going to come regardless. But Varric beat us too it when he sent the raven," Joe rolled her eyes and walked ahead of him, "No small task. Nothing is ever easy. Only a bloody great fade hole in the sky. Yeah, we can fix that with spit and a pray!"  
  
Vengeance barked out a laugh and bounded after her when she picked up Bear then ran ahead to Haven proper. Mutton yipped by his heel's her tongue lolling out running with him. Why did this feel right? Why did this feel right to do this with her? He was just as confused now as when he truly looked at her in the fade and felt a small tug within him he hasn't felt in a very long time.  
  
*****  
  
"George?"  
  
Joe wrinkled her nose up and shook her head.  
  
"Hmm, Alfred?"  
  
"Oh for the love of- no. That's just a stupid name."  
  
Vengeance frowned thumbing the tankard rim looking into the amber liquid within, "Why is choosing a name such a task? How did you do it with Bear?"  
  
Joe sighed deeply looking at her sleeping son on the chair, Mutton across his lap snoring just as much as he was, "Was easy. Alistair is my brother's name, Malcolm was Orran's dad's name. And Bear, well I used to call my brother Ali bear and he called me Joe cat sometimes. Picking name's isn't that hard, sometimes it chooses you."  
  
Vengeance frowned even more when he picked up the tankard still looking at his reflection then stopped when it was half way to his face. He looked over his shoulder length black hair and deep blue eyes, he looked over his scarred face and cocked his head when he put the tankard down, sloshing some of the content's over the rim, "Vance."  
  
Joe raised an eyebrow out him, looking over his face then a small smile went over her hers, "Vance. A shortened Vengeance. Yes, yes I like it."  
  
"Good, because I'm not changing it," he chuckled out picking the tankard up again to drink the ale, savouring the taste. With being half mortal, he had, bodily function's to deal with again, and the fact he could eat and drink made him feel, whole. But his spirit side was still powerful, still cowered Lessers like it did in the fade. And the fact he could wield a two-handed sword as if it where one-handed was even better. He didn't want to loose that when he came here, by accident.  
  
"Maker, your as bad as Justice was with the snarks. I'm surprised your not saying fuck or shit or what the cunting is that?"  
  
Vance's shoulder's shook trying not to laugh to hard but ended up snorting instead when he put his head on the table, "I know. I have his memories as well as some of my own, remember. Shit. Fuck. Bollocks."  
  
"Oh what have I done?"  
  
Vance snorted harder on the table, "Fuck fuck fucking fuck. Wank, Cunt. Dick's. Ball's. Fuuuuucck!"  
  
"I broke the Herald everyone! He wont stop saying fuck!"  
  
He heard Joe laugh hard and then her chair scraped on the floor and thud. He shot his head up to find Joe's chair on the floor on-top of her as she laughed hard on the floor, tear's streaming down her face.  
  
"I believe, I broke you," he snickered walking around the table to pick up the chair from her while she still laughed covering her face, "get up off the floor. Void, you have no idea what's down there, Joe!"  
  
Joe put her hand's down and looked up at him seriously then burst out laughing again, "I'm down here that's what!"  
  
Vance huffed a laugh putting his hand out for her to take, and Joe wrinkled her nose up before taking it. He hauled her up off the floor and felt himself blush when she stumbled into him before stepping back apologising. Joe ducked her head again like she did earlier to hide her own blush when she sat down, and he felt his heart pound hard in his chest when he eased himself down on the chair, his bulk and size taking over everything around them.  
  
He shook his head slightly picking up the tankard again, looking over the rim quickly at her before drinking down a large gulp. He had no idea if the feeling's where from himself or from Justice. Though, to be fair, he did feel them before he took Justice within himself. It has been over four year's now, should these feeling's still exists? Should they of grown?He had no idea they would ever meet again when he walked away from her with Justice in his arm's. He had no idea they'd meet again when he watched the final battle at Kirkwall with the other's.   
  
But yet, here he was. Whole, with Justice in his heart walking where the other's of his kind feared to tread.


	4. Chapter 4

Joe looked down at the cute button of a dwarf in-front of her and smiled wide when she smiled wide back. Lace Harding was her name, born and raised in Redcliffe. Though not like Joe actually remembers the people of Redcliffe, what with being locked up half the time there, or in Denerim in the sodding palace. But, Maker she was cute when she gave Varric a pointed look, but so did Joe and Vance. Even Cassandra huffed a disgusted sigh when he asked Harding if she's ever been to Kirkwall's Hightown.   
  
Solas on the other hand found this all amusing when he chuckled behind his hand.  
  
"I do hope you people know I have no idea how to ride a horse. We do not exactly need them in the fade."  
  
"I dunno, never too late to learn. I hope. Ahh sod, I have no idea how to ride one either," Varric muttered kicking a stone away shrugging with his arm's.  
  
"It's easy! First: make sure the horse is standing still. Second: get on the horse. Third: fall off said horse and lay on the ground cursing the Maker when it trots away to eat the grass on the other side of the paddock," Joe laughed out.  
  
Vance snickered at her then they walked down the rocky slope, Varric wrinkled his nose shaking his head then sighed. Cassandra scoffed and Solas, still found this amusing. Bear on the other hand was waiting for them on a hillock over looking a group fighting below him.  
  
"Is it wise for you to bring your child with you, Joette. This is not a safe place, nor time for a chi-"  
  
Joe cut Cassandra off with her hand and walked over to Bear still watching the fighting, "Bear, show Cassandra what you can do."  
  
Bear looked up at her and grinned, then put his hand up and blue swirled around him encasing him in a bubble. Joe nodded to her son and put her hand on her hip cocking it, "Yes he is perfectly safe, and capable. He's been taught well by two free mages and a two-handed warrior who can rip the heart out of your chest. So don't nark Fenris off."  
  
Cassandra stood there with her mouth flapping open and closed then blinked her eyes at them both, "I, did not realise your son was a mage. How long?"  
  
"Over two year's now. He started early like I did. Must be a dwarf thing to be this, awesome, from a young age," Joe snickered flexing when Varric grinned and nodded his head, "Varric was born with Bianca in his hand's as it was."  
  
"Wait a moment. YOUR A DWARF? Varric you never mentioned any of that!"  
  
Varric rolled his eyes walking over to her while he stuck his finger's up at Cassandra, earning another laugh from Vance. And once again Solas hid his mouth behind his hand, still amused by it all.  
  
"Half-dwarf, Cassandra. And he's a third. And we're both mages and bloody proud of it too. He was taught not to fear, not to give in and to never give up. He was taught like I never was, when everyone failed me. He's loved, and he love's back. He will know nothing else. He's seen violence, and destruction. So you see Seeker, we are more then capable, more then willing, and more the eager to see this mage Templar conflict end, because their both being arsehole's and I'm sick and tired of the world trying to end again."  
  
Cassandra clamped her mouth shut and blushed profusely when she walked by Joe and Bear down the rocky slope. Varric snickered nudging Joe's before catching the Seeker up along with Solas, he was eyeing her intently before nodding and asking Varric a question. Vance raised his eyebrow and crossed his arm's over his chest then smirked at her, "I think you have gotten more bite in you Joe."  
  
"When you have friend's like Fenris and Anders, had a partner like Orran, had a shitty past like mine, and watched the world fall apart. You learn to bite, hard."  
  
She watched him clamp a hand over his mouth and his shoulder's shake hard, and she couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up from within. Bear tugged on her arm as she was laughing and pointed over the hillock, "Mama, there's Templars down there. And other mages."  
  
"I know Bear. Vance and everyone else here are going to try and stop the fighting between both, You know this."  
  
"I don't like them," Bear muttered holding on to her hand tight, "any of them. Why are they so angry?"  
  
Vance knelt down next to Bear and cocked his head at him, "Their angry because of all the time they where hurt and being hurt. All of them. Though," he looked up at Joe and frowned, "some of the Templars, seem off."  
  
"I noticed that," Joe looked down at the valley and sighed out loud, "it's like there song is wrong or something. Not like I liked the tang of lyrium coming for them as it is, but this, something is wrong."  
  
"I suggest we get to the Mother as soon as we can. Then we can deal with them."  
  
*****  
  
Maker, if the crossroad's weren't a mess. All the small building's she knew from year's back where gone, replaced with smaller one's. People where broken and scared with the fighting around them. Vance had found Mother Giselle and was speaking with her right now, while Solas and Cassandra helped the injured. Varric, was keeping some of the small children entertained with stories, waving his hand's about. Bear sat with him, grinning wide listening.  
  
Joe shook her head at the people around, some sitting on the ground holding family member's, other holding bodies of loved one's passed on. It was like the blight all over again, but this, was Templars and mages doing this with their anger and in-fighting. She was glad Anders wasn't here to see this, he would of spat fire and brimstone at the chaos. They all helped do this back in Kirkwall, but it wasn't just them when the Circle's all rose up and broke away from the chantry. The Templars rampaged killing all the mages they could find, and the mages turned on everyone. It was madness. Orran would of hated all of this, this wasn't what they all wanted when they helped start the rebellion year's back.  
  
Joe sighed quietly when she sat down on the broken wall, looking over the small hamlet. The entire world flew into chaos, civil war's broke out, some circle's got annulled, bandit's and smuggler's where having a field day too cashing on the chaos. And now, fade tear's and hole's cropping everywhere after the explosion at the Conclave, spitting out demon's. Maker, she and Anders where going to go with Bear, they where going to go to witness the Divine try and bring peace with the talks. They could of gone along with Varric, but they didn't.  
  
And now Vengeance, no, Vance, had become the Herald of Andraste. Wasn't that a shock to her system when she saw him back in Haven. She never thought they'd ever see each other again. The fade was a huge place, and he happened to be at the right place at the right time. Divine providence? No, Joe thought that was unlikely when she looked at the half mortal spirit still talking with Giselle. He was still as huge as he was in the fade, taller then Justice and Orran, bigger in muscle then Orran, but that was what angry spirit's were like. They were bigger then the average spirit like Justice or Loyalty. Command and Mercy where smaller then them along with Faith and Love. Vengeance, Valor and Fortitude where always bigger. And then there where the one's who twisted themselves, they came in all shape's and sizes. But there was something different about him when they met in the fade freeing Anders, she had no idea what, yet.  
  
Joe sighed again when a familiar dwarf sat down beside her, "Hello again Harding. I thought you were going to be scouting else where?"  
  
"Not at the moment. I wanted to see you again, Joette. You, don't remember me, do you?"  
  
Joe shook her head and frowned at the other dwarf.  
  
"Maker, I knew you wouldn't. We met a long time ago in Redcliffe village, I think you were about 16 when we met outside the windmill. You where looking up at it and sighed out loud that you wanted to ride it's sail's and I giggled behind you saying it wasn't a good idea."  
  
Joe's eyes went huge looking over Lace's face, then slammed a hand over her mouth, "Ancestor's, that was you! I forgot all about that."  
  
"Yup, that was me. I had no idea you where half-dwarf, I do now though. I think it's amazing that you are, and that you can do magic."  
  
"I didn't back then. I hated it, I hated myself, and I hated everything around me. Now, after over ten year's of being free, I'm proud of it all. I wont let my past eat at me any more."  
  
Harding nodded putting her hand on Joe's arm, "And the fact you have the cutest little boy too. Joe, he's so cute I could eat him," she giggled.  
  
"Maker, I hope not. I happen to like my son whole," Joe snorted knocking Harding's shoulder, "Oh, he's going to be a heart-breaker when he's older. Just like his father, that's for sure."  
  
"I'm sorry, for what happened. I did read Varric's Tale of the Champion, everyone in Thedas has. But-"  
  
Joe looked sideway's at Harding and nodded her head, "It's what he wanted. He didn't want to die laying in bed withered like his dad. It still came as a shock when he did it though, it did to all of us left. But it's what he wanted. He at least got to see his son before he died, and his son got to see him."  
  
Harding lent her head on Joe's shoulder, and she could see her looking over at Vance, "You know who the Herald reminds me off? The Avvar. He's as big as some of them. But the fact he's a spirit is just- I can't wrap my head around that at all. But anyway," Harding patted her arm when she stood, "I ought to get going."  
  
"Take care, Lace."  
  
Harding smiled wide at her before running over to one of her scout's with a raven upon his arm. Of all the people she forgot about, she had to meet the one person who was now under Leliana's wing as a Lead Scout, who knew her back in Redcliffe. Small world.  
  
*****  
  
Vance wrinkled his nose looking at the horse in-front of him. Yes, it was a rather large horse for him to ride, but Void take it all, he still had no idea how to ride the damned thing snorting at him. Dennet, was an odd man, and so where his family and work hand's. Even with the fighting going on around them they kept on going. Vance admired that trait when he ran his hand down the horse's head.  
  
He looked over at Varric muttering under his breath looking up at the pony, then shook his head backing away when it tried to butt him with her head. Vance snorted a laugh when the pony followed Varric out the paddock, the dwarf still putting his hand's up shaking his head.  
  
Cassandra and Solas made it look easy when they mounted their's and were trotting around the paddock getting the horse's used to them. Joe had Bear in-front of her on her horse, the little boy giggling the entire time when the horse cantered in circle's. He looked back at horse his and sighed out loud taking his reign's in his hand's, putting one foot in the stirrup, hoisting himself in the saddle. It felt odd to say the least when he gently pushed his heel's against the beast below him to urge him forward. Nope, he didn't like this one bit when the horse went into the paddock with a buck.  
  
Joe came galloping over to him and pulled on her reign's to slow the horse down and took his in her hand's when she reached over to stop his horse from nearly bucking him off.  
  
"I think we should find you a Dracolisk, Vance," she smiled at him letting the reign's go, "Maybe Dennet knows where we can get some. If not, maybe Josephine will."  
  
"Bah, I'd rather not ride one of these sodding thing's," he mutters climbing off his mount, running his hand down the horse's neck to soothe it, "And I have no idea what a Dracolisk is."  
  
"It's really pretty, they look like dragon's," Bear grinned at him waving his hand's about, "Mama, can I have one if he has one?"  
  
"Good grief, at least your not asking for a Warnug, which no doubt Anders would want. Ugh."  
  
Vance laughed hard leading the horse back to the stable's. Yes, he was not cut out to ride such a creature, but if Joe thinks a Dracolisk would work, then maybe it would. A Warnug though? He's never seen one of them either, other then the little one's running about. All he could see in his mind was Anders trying to sit on the little one's with a saddle, then burst out laughing again at the idea of it.  
  
Night was slowly creeping up on them when he walked back over to Joe and Bear handing their horse over to the stable hand, Varric was still waving his hand's about shooing the pony away when it started nibbling on his duster. Cassandra sighed out in disgust and Solas, was once again eyeing himself, Joe and her son. He still didn't want to talk to the elf, but he knew Solas had question's for him and Joe.  
  
"We should head to the camp by the water way, Joe. Night will be setting soon."  
  
"I have to say, Vance. Your taking everything in your stride. Like a duck to water, as the saying goes."  
  
Vance frowned and tilted his head at her, "Do you think so? I don't think so. There are many thing's I find, different and confusing. But I remember somethings. But I certainly do not remember ever riding a mount."  
  
Joe shrugged her shoulder ruffling Bear's hair before the boy ran off to Varric, "Trust me, I still find alot of thing's confusing at time's. But yes, you seem to be taking to this very well."  
  
He hummed when they all started to walk back to the camp. It did feel right doing this, even if it was thrusted upon him by accident, to which he still doesn't remember how. He looked down at his hand, feeling the ebb and flow of the fade within and sighed out through his nose. This all happened for a reason, to whatever that reason was, is lost to him. Maybe he wiped his own memories, maybe something terrible happened. But it was his voice they heard when he closed the breach partially, it was the Divine's voice calling out for help. But the other voice, it sounded familiar he doesn't know where from.  
  
Vance sat down on the fallen log that served as seat's around the fire, watching everyone bustle about sorting who will be sleeping where and he undid his the leather glove's he was wearing instead of the heavy armour. He didn't want to crush the mount wearing all that armour and his bulk too. Joe sat down next to him with two bowl's of the stew that was bubbling away in the pot, and two hunk's of bread. He smiled at her taking both bread and bowl and breathed in the smell.  
  
"Lamb, pea and carrot stew. Maker, this reminds me of Alistair when he used to cook it, though this isn't grey and mushy. He had no idea how to cook when he joined the Warden's."  
  
Bear grinned at him again when he sat down in-front of him, holding his own bowl and bread, and lent back against his leg. Vance blinked a few time's looking down at the boy resting his back on him, feeling the magic and the fade within the boy flow into him. It's not like he's not felt it before, being with Anders, but the magic, like Joe's, was unlike any of the mages he knew or encountered. And Solas was again, different.  
  
"How is your brother," he asked dunking the bread in the stew letting the juice soak into it while he ate everything else. Oh it was good, really good when he had a bit of everything on his spoon and almost smacked his lip's at the taste.  
  
"Still being kingy with Aeden. Though we haven't spoken in a few month's what with the Conclave happening, Denerim's rebuild still going on and now this. I did send a raven telling him where we are for the time being, but I haven't heard back yet."  
  
"Do you tell him about me?"  
  
Joe snorted and nodded her head, "Yeah I did. Not like your not known by now, Vance. Just, don't let it go to your head, hmm."  
  
"Hardly," he snorted taking a bite of out the stew soaked bread and hummed at the taste, "I have been meaning to ask. Why where you not more surprised nor angry when, you found out who I was?"  
  
Joe shrugged her shoulder at him putting her spoon back in the bowl, "I have come to expect the unexpected over the year's. Yeah okay, was a bit of a shock to see you standing there humming more with the fade then you should, with that piece in your hand. But why would I be angry? I'm not Anders when he saw you."  
  
"I, just thought," he sighed putting the bowl on his thigh, "I know what you helped me do, helped me become more then what I am. You guided me to save Justice, to which I did. I, was just expecting- No, I have no idea what I expected. Cassandra and the other's where certainly not expecting the Herald to be some half mortal spirit, that's for sure."  
  
"Pah. Expect the unexpected. And it was the right thing to do at the time. Justice was dying, you were conflicted, it just, seemed the right thing to do."  
  
Vance frowned down at the bowl on his thigh, and picked it up again eating it's content's before it cold. He hummed a little more thinking. He really didn't know what to expect when he was pushed out here. Not like he never thought about it before. But still, he was feeling more at home here, then he ever did in the fade becoming what he was. Though, to be fair, the mortal realm was his home before he became Vengeance.  
  
"Mama, I'm tired."  
  
"Okay little Bear."  
  
Joe nudged his arm before she stood picking her son up, taking him to her tent. And Void take it all, did he miss her being near him, her son being near him when she went. Not like she was miles away, but the closeness of it made him smile internally at it.  
  
"You seem to be quiet taken with her, Vengeance."  
  
Ugh, Void take it all, he would come over now.  
  
"We do know each other somewhat, Solas."  
  
"So it would seem," Solas cocked his head at him, gauging, when he stood in-front of him with his hand's behind his back, "Though I do puzzle at how you could have Justice as well as your, own purpose."  
  
Vance sighed putting his empty bowl on the floor, "I saved his memories and ideal's. I hurt him while we where in another, I nearly killed him. So I saved his essence so his legacy would not be lost."  
  
"Indeed. Though, how did that come about?"  
  
Vance looked sideway's to Joe's tent then back at Solas who followed his line of sight, "Yes, it was her. Who knows where I would be if the bond's where not broken, and that I didn't help save Justice's legacy. I was not in the right frame of mind when the mage opened himself to the two of us. Bloody foolish of him to do so."  
  
Solas chuckled slightly then cocked him head more at him, "And now, a half spirit has become the Herald of Andraste. Though, you where mortal once before, as was the other. I do find   
that, curious. It's not unheard off, but is unusual that two would become a new purpose. Do you dream, Vengeance?"  
  
"Vance, my name is Vance, please use it. And yes I dream, to a degree."  
  
Solas nodded his head looking back over to the tent where Joe was, "Perhaps we should meet in the fade sometime, Vance. With Joe."  
  
Vance narrowed his eyes at the elf when he walked away from him, the bald headed elf still looking at Joe's tent before going into his own. He had no inclination of seeing the other mage within the fade in his dream's. And he had no desire to pull Joe and Bear in as well.


	5. Chapter 5

And of course Val Royeaux would be a hideous gleaming pile of Mabari shit when they walked over the long marble white bridge to the center of the place. It was ugly when he looked upon the white marble building's and gold topped monstrosity's, ugly banner's flapping in the salty breeze. Nope, he found the place to look like vomit. Varric was talking quietly to Cassandra, Solas was eyeing everything with a smile on his face, Joe and Bear where both wrinkling their nose's up as much as he was. Anders and Fenris on the other hand where grinning away looking at everything.  
  
They both decided to join them when Val Royeaux was mentioned. They wanted to see the capital city of Orlais with everyone, and rub the fact they where un-officially married to one another. An apostate male mage together with an ex-slave male elf, 'Oh the scandal,' Anders said grinning from ear to ear when they where in the coach to bring them here, 'is going to be delicious when they honeymoon there'. Which is now, according to them.  
  
One of the Inquisition scout's came running over to them, putting his hand up to Cassandra, "Forgive me Lady Cassandra and My Lord Herald, but, there seems to a problem."  
  
My Lord Herald? Vance wrinkled his nose up more looking down at the scout as Cassandra rolled her eyes and huffed, "What is it?"  
  
"There seems to be a large number of Templars here, along with Lord Seeker Lucius. But there is also a Revered Mother riling up the crowd's in the center of the city."  
  
"Oh that's just bloody perfect," Anders moaned out.  
  
"The Lord Seeker is here? Then we must see him immediately! Send a raven to Cullen and Leliana informing them, if we are delayed by what may happen here, to send reinforcement's in-case."  
  
"Yes Lady Cassandra."  
  
Vance bit his lip looking down at Cassandra. The mention of a large contingent of Templars did not bode well, especially with Anders, Joe and Bear being here, "Then shall we see what they all have to say for themselves. Because this place is making me want to vomit everywhere, it is hideous!"  
  
"Ugh. Yes, let's go."  
  
Anders snorted behind him with Fenris. Varric stuck his finger's up everywhere when they walked past broken statue's, making gagging noise's in the back of his throat. Solas was humming happily as he slowly walked past the statue's and Vance rolled his eyes at the elf. Joe and Bear on the other hand had ran ahead of them all, holding hand's before darting around a corner. He wondered where they where going when he heard a harsh woman's voice ring out around the garish courtyard.  
  
"Good people of Val Royeaux. Hear me my children. We mourn our most Holy. Her naive and beautiful heart silenced by foulness and treachery!"  
  
Vance crossed his arm's when he and Cassandra walked slowly through the crowd, and rolled his eyes at the woman standing on a dais high above everyone. Typical. A Templar stood next to her, his eyes going wide at him looking him over then backed away when the woman spoke again.  
  
"You wonder what became of her murderer? Then wonder no more!" she pointed straight at him and practically spat in his direction, "Behold, this, Herald of Andraste. A false prophet! We say this, THING is no servant of her most Holy, is no servant of Andraste. This DEMON pretending to be a man, is a disgrace upon us all!"  
  
"I am no demon, woman. And I do not claim to be the Herald! We are here to ask for aid, but I clearly see you are too stuck up your chantry bullshit to see beyond your damned nose!"  
  
Cassandra sucked in a deep breath beside him shooting him a quick glare before speaking to the Revered Mother, "It is, true we seek aid. We need aid against the breach, against the madness before it is too late!"  
  
Vance looked over to his right when he heard the familiar clank of armour, and anger boiled up in him when the contingent of Templars walked through the courtyard then up the dais.  
  
"It is already too late! The Templars have returned to the chantry! We have no need of your Inq-"  
  
The Revered Mother fell onto the ground when one of the contingent struck her on the back of her head with the pommel of his sword, then kicked her unconsciouses form out the way. The Templar who stood by the Mother went to move to help her when Vance saw the shock on his face.  
  
"Still your self, she is beneath us. They all are!"  
  
"What the void was that for? Was that supposed to impress me, well let me tell you," Vance walked forward a few paces and sneered his lip at the man, "I am not."  
  
"Pah, I am not here to impress you, usurper. And your not even human, creature. You will NOT speak to me!"  
  
"Lord Seek Lucius?"  
  
"Do not address me. Raising this thing up to Andraste's prophet. You should be ashamed, you all should! The Templars failed no-one when they left to purge all mages. If you came to appeal to the chantry, you are too late. The only respect here is mine!"  
  
"Please, Lord Seeker. We need help with the brea-"  
  
"I said NOT to address me! Val Royeaux is not worthy of our protection. We MARCH!"  
  
Vance stood there and bit his lip hard when he looked down at Cassandra as she watched the mad man walk away, "There's something very wrong with him, Cassandra. There's something wrong with them all, except for him," he pointed to the one who paled watching his fellow Templars walk away.  
  
"I, I cannot believe he, they- Maker, what are we going to do now?" the Templar said quietly walking over to them, "I have never seen him like this before. None of them!"  
  
"Should you not be leaving with them," Vance sneered looking down at the man.  
  
"I wont follow a mad man. I wont! I, forgive me, I am Knight-Templar Delrin Barris, and I refuse to go with him," the Templar bowed putting his hand across his chest in respect.  
  
Varric and Solas joined them as Cassandra spoke to Barris, but Joe and Bear were no-where to be seen, and his stomach rolled. The Templars wouldn't of taken them, would they? No, he would of noticed if they did. He didn't listen to what was said when he walked away from them all, he needed to know where Joe and her son was.  
  
He started to panic when he couldn't see them in the courtyard, nor any of the stall's and shop's ringing it. They wouldn't of taken them, there way no way they could of taken them.  
  
"Herald?"  
  
"Cassandra, I cannot see Joe or Bear anywhere," no that wasn't panic in his voice, it couldn't be when he looked down at her. Anders and Fenris weren't with them either and the panic rose up more, "Where is Anders and Fenris as well!"  
  
"Do you mean the blond mage with the silver haired elf? They are over in the coffee house over there," Barris pointed and nodded his head, "their sitting with a woman and child."  
  
Vance looked over where Barris was pointing, how could he of missed that? Why did he panic? What in the Void was going on with him?  
  
"Thank you, Ser Barris."  
  
"Quiet welcome Herald. Though, I have to admit, you, are not what I quiet expected. Your taller then I imagined."  
  
Vance nodded his head and smiled briefly at him, then left him talking to the other's as he walked to the coffee house, breathing in deeply to stave away the panic that rose up in him. Joe was indeed sitting with the other two, Bear on her lap looking rather angry with his arm's crossed and small nose wrinkled. He wanted to chuckle out at the little boy's expression but the boy really did not look happy when he stood by the table.  
  
"Don't, do that again, any of you," he said pulling out a chair then decided not to sit on the small thing, "I could not see where you went!"  
  
"Wait, wait, wait. Is that concern I hear in your voice, Vengeance? Why weren't you like that when I had you in me?" Anders ground out picking up a rather small cup.  
  
"Not now, Amatus. We are sorry, Vance. But with all those Templars marching through the courtyard, this was the safest place for all of us. Considering what we did in Kirkwall."  
  
Vance sighed out and sat down on the small chair, "I, understand that. And Anders, it's Vance NOT Vengeance. And you where the one blinding me more with your bloody selfish desires. I may of added to it, but do not blame me for what you had within yourself at the time!"  
  
"MY WHAT? Oh no. No no no, don't you dare blame me for the thing's you did!"  
  
Vance narrowed his eyes at the mage and shook his head, "Considering half the thing's YOU did where nothing to do with me. Most of them where on you. But I will take responsibility for her. But I will not take responsibility to you and your arse waving, that was all on you!"  
  
Joe pushed away from the table Bear still in her arm's and walked away from them all. Vance frowned watching her walk over to Varric saying something before they both walked away quickly together. Now what was going on?  
  
*****  
  
Sera, was not what he was expecting at all when she glared up at him. She had a mouth on her that was for sure when she found who he actually was. She was not happy that he was a former denizen of the fade. In-fact she HATED the fact he was, but didn't stop her from reaching out asking to join them with her riddle's on torn bit's of red paper. Vance found it amusing when he followed the note's with the other's. Bear was highly amused when she announced she stole breeches, because... breeches.  
  
But here Sera was, still glaring up at him with her bow in her hand, "So, you gonna go all, AARGGHHH or wot?"  
  
"I don't go AARGGHHH. I may yell, or rage, perhaps mope, but I do not AARGGHHH."  
  
Sera's eyes narrowed lowering her bow from his nut's, as she politely put it, then cocked her head at him, "Ain't you supposed to be all demony? That's wot you thing's are like right? Demony, glowy eyes an all that, takin' ova mind's thing, eatin' people?"  
  
Vance wrinkled his nose up at that thought, "That's just, that's disgusting! Why in the Void would I eat someone? And I am no demon, I have a name," he sighs out pinching the bridge of his nose, "And I do glow, sometimes."  
  
"Huh. So, can I join or wot? I wanna help the little fish down here, you can wave your cod's up there all I care. Just don't wave them at me, I ain't into that!"  
  
Joe snickered behind her hand at Sera, the blond elf raised an eyebrow at her and smirked before looking back up at him, "So yea, can I?"  
  
"Sera, go to Haven. You can help all the little fish you want with my blessing. As long as we, get to help as well. Not enough people helping them out as it is."  
  
Sera grinned putting her bow on her back and just, darted off into the night.  
  
"Well, that was, different," Joe snickered again taking the pair of breeches from her son looking at them, "I can see why she stole them too. I mean look at them! Who puts beige, pink and purple together. Bleh."  
  
"Orlesian's, apparently," Vance chuckled pulling the pair breeches out of Joe's hand then tossed them away.  
  
Joe, Bear and Vance left the secluded courtyard to head back to the hotel that was eager the have the Herald staying there with them. He internally rolled his eyes at that, but at least it was a nice place for them all, not hideous like the rest of Val Royeaux. And they had a bed big enough for him to sleep in!  
  
But at least Sera wasn't like the Enchanter they all met at her salon. Vivienne. He would of said yes to her, except when she wanted the circle's and Templars back, so some semblance of normality would be in place. Joe was NOT happy to hear that, and so Vivienne made her disgust and disdain for Joe known when she pointed over to her son, telling her she would never allow him to be shackled like she was. They walked away from her after that, he wasn't going to listen to her diatribe on how good Templars are, how gentle they could be, and her case was an exception to the norm and that her son would benefit from proper circle training.  
  
No, he didn't want someone like her helping. But Ser Barris on the other hand, he wasn't expecting that at all when he offered his help. He had other High ranking Templars stuck at Therinfal Redoubt he needed help in getting out if the Lord Seeker was as mad as he was. But there where also the mages he needed to get in contact with in Redcliffe when Fiona found them after the debacle in the city courtyard. There was, something off about her too. Joe and Anders noticed it as well.  
  
The hotel door's where in-front of them, and Vance stopped and bit his lip before asking her, "Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"What, happened yesterday at the coffee house? Was it something I said, because if it were-"  
  
"Maker no, it was nothing to do with that," Joe sighed looking up at him, holding Bear's hand tight in hers, "In all honesty I think you two should have it out more often. Anders isn't exactly the Paragon of niceness all the time you know. No, it was, all those Templars being around. I, had a panic attack. I had to get out of there for a while with Bear to calm down."  
  
Vance's face softened and put his hand on her shoulder, feeling the song come from within her through his hand, "I'm sorry. We had no idea they would be there, Joe," he said softly, "why did you not say anything?"  
  
"I could barely think as it was. And the smell, there was so much of it. And Bear was not happy to see that many around in such a small quarter. I had to leave and Varric had to calm me down. I hadn't had something like that happen in along time."  
  
"They all smelt funny, like dirty old sock's. Barris was nice though," Bear grinned at him, "can we help his friend's?"  
  
"I do not know Bear," Vance muttered kneeling down to the boy, "we can try. Would you be, alright with that? Either of you?"  
  
Joe wrinkled her brow biting her lip before sighing out, "I have to admit, Ser Barris does seem one of the better one's we've known. If we can help him get his friend's away from the Lord Seeker, then, I'd be okay with it."  
  
"What about the mages," Bear asked looking up at them both.  
  
"We'll see if they want to talk to us first. If they agree, then we will have them all join us. Along with what friend's Ser Barris can save."  
  
*****  
  
Joe shut the cabin door quietly as not to disturb the sleeping trio. Mutton whined quietly at her when they both walked down the step's past the wooden door's, and Joe looked down at her dwarven Mabari dog, "No, I can't sleep," she said softly to her, "I need to go think for a while. And to listen again."  
  
Mutton boofed and darted ahead of her past the hidden cabin in the copse. Joe has been listening to the tear in the sky, trying to figure out why it happened, and who did this, but nothing was coming to her. Vance still had no idea how and why it happened, nor how he became half mortal. This, would happen right now with the fighting going on everywhere. Who would tear a hole in the veil? Why would they tear a hole?  
  
Joe shook her head kicking up the snow in frustration, Mutton yipping trying to eat it when they strolled down to the little pier over the frozen lake. Joe looked up at the maelstrom above, and sighed more when she sat on the edge of the pier. The stone's gave her no answer either when she listened to them, they where just as shocked as she was by it all. But there was something else that was about, something foul. Varric told her about the red lyrium at the temple ruin's. Red lyrium of all thing's, why would it be here? They all thought it was just at Kirkwall and the Ancient Thaig, but it was here too at the temple as if someone threw it on the ground as an after thought.  
  
No, there was something strange happening here, and she wanted to know what it is. Anders and Fenris where in the same mindset too, they wanted to stay and help as much as they could, farmstead or no, this was more important then the herb garden. They may of made a home there year's back, they where always ready to up an leave just in-case the rogue Templars or mages came their way. Bandit's where one thing, bastard's stealing their damned chicken's and ram's all the time, they had to give up having them.  
  
A tingle of magic went through her, Mutton yipped by her side when Solas walked slowly over the ice in-front of her, his hand's behind his back, gauging her. She knew he would end up finding her, she knew he wanted to speak with her when he stopped several pace's away tilting his head at her dwarf Mabari.  
  
"I didn't think they still existed."  
  
Joe scoffed a laugh, "Mabari will always be around. Or do you mean the fact that she's a dwarf one."  
  
Solas nodded his head, "Dwarven Mabari where a rarity a long time ago. I find it fascinating that you managed to find one."  
  
"Actually she found me when I was leaving Ostagar in my, state. We bonded from that moment on."  
  
"Indeed," he muttered slowly walking up the path near her, "I saw the battle of Ostagar in my dream's. I watched the Hero of Ferelden and his partner battle the horde. I saw you there as well, in the snow."  
  
Joe felt the skin over her body gooseflesh when he stood beside her, it was either him doing it, or the memories and she shuddered slightly when he sat down to join her on the end of the small pier, "I... see. Are you a somniari then? I've only ever met one who I'm friend's with, though we haven't seen each other in sometime in the fade."  
  
Solas turned his body to face her more and gauged her again, "I am indeed, Isana. Though I do find it curious that you can tread the fade they way you do. But you are not a dreamer yourself. You visit ruin's of ancient past, do you not."  
  
Isana, there where two other people to call her that. Singing stone, child of the song, but how did he know about her visiting old ruin's?  
  
"I, do. Both me and my son do, we have done while I was pregnant with him. How do you know that?" there was definitely something about him that made her skin crawl.  
  
Solas tilted his head not unlike Mutton, like a predator eyeing up prey before they pounced, "I have visited many ruin's within the fade during my travels. Everything leaves an echo behind, and I found your's among some. Even among one's that have been forgotten by all within the fade."  
  
Joe's heart began to pound heard in her chest. She has found one's that where lost to time, and he knows. Solas' eyes where piercing hers and she couldn't look away when he grabbed her face, she almost screamed feeling the power go through him into her and looked up at the green in the sky.  
  
She was in the fade, how in the Maker's name did she get here while they where talking?  
  
Joe shot up from the ground and backed away from him looking about herself. She wanted to cry when she realised where she was, a place she hasn't been in sometime when she looked at the tall grass and ruined wall's.  
  
"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS SOLAS?" she shouted at him, clenched her hand's into fist's. She feels violated that he did this too her, "Why have you brought me here, without asking me first!"  
  
Solas tilted his head at her again, his hand's clasped behind his back then walked away through the wooden door's she knows well. She was angry he even brought her here, she was angry he was strolling through Justice's memories, through her own, and ran after him. Solas was going up the flight of stair's she knows well, he knows exactly where to go when he walks through the room she knows far too well.  
  
"Why here, Isana? Why this place above all?"  
  
"Because it once belonged to a friend of mine," she ground out while he walked about the room, eyeing everything, "What do you want, Solas?"  
  
"You are unlike any mage I have known, child of the song."  
  
Joe's heart went down to her feet when he pinned her with his gaze again, walking slowly over to her, "You are half-dwarf, but yet a mage. Like your son. You tread the fade as a dreamer, but you are not. The stone calls to you, does it not? It's been calling since you freed yourself from your bond's. It called more when you had your relationship with Orran Hawke. Since finding the bow. Since having your son. Your magic is stronger as well, is it not, Isana?"  
  
She wanted to be sick, how does he know all this, how could he know all this. Joe backed away slightly when he moved forward more, "How, how do you know," she said quietly when he stopped a few pace's away from her, "what do you want?"  
  
"I want nothing but to understand. As I said before, I walk the fade, I see many old ruin's and battle's. I saw your own trying to break free. I saw your courage at Ostagar. I saw the echo's where you once stood, where your son once stood. But I also see you where at a place that has been lost, for a very long time. A place that even I have been unable to reach. Show me."  
  
"I don't-"  
  
Solas grabbed her face again, how did he move so fast, and looked straight into her eyes. Her skin goose-fleshed more when he kissed her mouth hard. She wanted to recoil, she wanted him to let her go, this wasn't right at all. And then, he let her go, hearing a small gasp from him feeling him back away and Joe opened her eyes trying to breath.  
  
Tall tree's surrounded them tall towering spire's topped with tarnished gold, and she knew, she knew where she was. The place she's been unable to get back to. The one where no spirit nor demon ever dared to come, and her head swam when she blinked away the tear's in her eyes. He kissed her, it wasn't at all pleasant, and she wiped her mouth watching him walk through the ruin's, his arm's out from his side's.  
  
"I have not seen this place in so long," he said quietly touching the crumbling stone's, "And you managed to find it on your own."  
  
"Solas, you ever kiss me again, then Maker and Ancestor's help you, because I will stick my foot so far up your arse you'll be chewing boot leather!"  
  
Solas smiled at her when he turned around, "Forgive me. It was the only way to see where you found this. It was etched on your lip's like an old battle wound, Isana. I will not do it again, I just needed to see it for myself."  
  
Joe wrinkled her nose up at him, wiping her face more of his kiss and her tear's, "Damn you, you bloody poxy elf. I could of just shown you my damned book's if you really want to see where I've been. Don't you EVER do that again without my permission. You want to tread the fade with me, fine, I don't mind that, but you ever do that again-"  
  
Solas sighed lowering his head looking at the ground below him, clasping his hand's in-front now, "With so much fear in the air, I tend to forget my manner's at time's. And it's been a while since I've, spoken with another. But none the less," he looks back up at her and smile's again, "I wont do any of this with out permission again, Isana, but I would very much like to walk with you in your dream's, with your permission, and I certainly would love to see where you've been from your book's."  
  
"Fine, fine," Joe sighs out shrugging with her arm's, "But then, maybe you can tell me what this place was, because Justice didn't know and there aren't any other's around to tell me. I wondered if it was Elven, but I've never seen Elven ruin's that looked like this. I even thought dwarven, but the architecture is wrong."  
  
"It is the echo of Arlathan," Solas spoke with such sadness Joe didn't know what to do, "the actual ruin's where lost to time in the waking world, but this is just an echo of what it once was. The ancient elves who once lived here, many of them died, other fled to a dwarven Thaig of Cad-halash, or as it's know today as-"  
  
"Cadash Thaig," Joe felt her palm's wet slightly looking up at the towering spire's, "they fled to Cadash Thaig where Shayle was found, where my, ancient ancestor's were from."  
  
"Indeed. It seems Isana, that this was imprinted on you to find, to bring you here, to bring me here to tell you."  
  
Joe looked back at him in awe and blinked several time's feeling her damp lashes stick together, "Maker and Ancestor's, that's what the book's referred too? I, found some old book's in an ancient Thaig under Kirkwall year's back, took me a long time to translate them and the plinth's. Elves who lived in the Thaig with the Cad-halash, wed and bore children with some, made a life underground. I, this is where they came from?"  
  
Solas dipped his head at her in agreement, "You may only be half-dwarven, Isana, but you sing more of the stone then those who have forgotten with time, so does your son. As I said before you are an unusual mage. I respect that deeply."  
  
"I, oh. Thank you, Solas. Just, no more kissing please though."  
  
Solas chuckled under his breath and nodded at her, "I suggest we wake up though. We have a lot more to do, do we not."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah... I don't really like Vivienne and my hubby doesn't like Sera. The Sera part was his idea, taking the piss out of the woman in Fable and the blue mushroom thing *if you've never played the first Fable your not going to have a clue*. And I never liked Viv, I can tolerate her to a degree but then she drives me potty and then I end up ignore her up on her balcony, lol.
> 
> BUT, I did like Barris. I hated the fact if you go with mages he ends up dead/missing/AWOL/something. Hence why I added him instead of Viv.


	6. Chapter 6

Vance lent on the pommel of his two-hander watching the bearded man talk to the downtrodden group of people in-front of him. He did indeed wear Warden armour, but it was nothing like Anders' own he used to own. He just wore piece's. He waved his sword and shield about with is speech, trying to give them other men courage to face their foes, to face the people who wronged them and Vance nodded his head listening. He agreed with everything this man was saying, even if there was trouble within the man's heart.  
  
Vance stepped away from his sword and nudged Joe with his arm for her to follow when the man finished his speech.  
  
"Warden Blackwall?"  
  
The man turned around sharply and gaped up at him then down to Joe, "How'd you know my name?"  
  
"We're with the Inquisition, Warden. And we need your help," Joe said to him bowing her head.  
  
"Look, I don't know what you-Arrhh-" Blackwall put his shield up right in-front of Joe's face catching the arrow and sneered at the men running over the rise, "Either help or get out the fucking way!"  
  
Vance wrinkled his nose when he ran back to pull his sword from the ground, Joe, Bear, Anders and Varric readied their weapon's aiming at the bandit's. He could see out the corner of his eye Bear wave his hand before snapping it back, pulling the bandit's down for them all to pick off easier. The downtrodden men looked at each other then back at Blackwall, the Warden nodded his head to them, and the ragtag group felled the bandit's.  
  
The fight, in Vance's opinion, was very very short. He didn't need to do anything when everyone put their weapon's away. He was in all honesty a little disappointed it was quick. Not like he didn't get enough killing with closing all the veil tear's around, watching the twisted soul's cower in his presence as usual.  
  
The ragtag group all nodded at Blackwall then started rummaging through the dead bandit's pocket's while the Warden narrowed his eyes at them all, putting his sword in the ground.  
  
"What do you lot want? How'd you know my name?"  
  
"We thought you might know what has happened to the missing Warden's. My, friend here does not, and we thought perhaps you might know?" Vance asked him as Blackwall glared up at him.  
  
"As if I know," Blackwall shook his head, "I've been on my own for fucking year's. I haven't seen another Warden in a long time."  
  
"What the hell do you mean you haven't seen another- Haven't you reported back at Amaranthine or Weisshaupt?" Anders frowned at him, "I mean I know I haven't been a Warden in sometime, but you should at least report in, Blackwall."  
  
"I, no, I haven't. I've been on my fucking own. I have no idea where they went. Which means you don't know either, Warden...?"  
  
"Anders, former Warden Anders. Long story as to why I'm not one any more. Bugger it all."  
  
Blackwall's eyes went wide slightly, then he nodded his head, "The one who started the rebellion back in Kirkwall. That took ball's, mate."  
  
Vance put his hand on Anders shoulder shaking his head, then looked down at Joe and Bear, then to Varric, "Actually Warden Blackwall, they all were they one's who started it, not just him. Another is else where right now, but, it was not him alone."  
  
He watched Blackwall look at them all and started to chuckle, nodding his head, "Well, fuck me. Nice to meet you all," he put his hand over his chest in respect, then looked back up at him, "And what about you? Who are you?"  
  
"And that is, another long story, though. I am the," Vance rolled his eyes huffed a sigh, "Herald of Andraste, or whatever else you wish to call me."  
  
"Fucking hell. I thought she was going to be, not you. Well then," Blackwall nodded again rubbing his hand's together, "You want help finding the Warden's, I'll help. But I want to help the Inquisition as well. This world needs fucking saving, again."  
  
"Mama, I think he needs a swear jar, like you and uncle Fenris have."  
  
Vance hid his smirk behind his hand when Joe blushed looking down at her son. Anders and Varric where snickering loudly behind her and Blackwall opened his mouth looking down at the little boy then grinned.  
  
"Warden Blackwall, welcome to the motley crew that's going to save the world with spit and a pray," Joe muttered narrowing her eyes at her giggling son.  
  
*****  
  
The raven flew away with the reply back to Fenris and Cassandra, telling them thank you for recruiting the Iron Bull. A Qunari of all thing's and his mercenary group wanted to join them as well. Though Joe, Varric and Anders where a little, wary about having a Qunari join them, the Iron Bull's lieutenant seemed of the right heart. He was also glad Solas decided to go with Cassandra, Fenris, Sera and Barris to the Storm Coast while the rest of them talk to the mages in Redcliffe. Joe told him what he did, and Vance, was not happy to say the least.  
  
Cullen had managed, along with Barris, to only get ten of the high ranking Templars from Therinfal Redoubt, and no more. The rest were already dead, much to Barris' distress. No-one knew where the rest of the Templars had vanished too, no-one, not even Leliana knew when she sent her scout's to find them. Not like he wasn't disappointed, but the mages where now their top priority to help them.  
  
He slowly walked back to the camp proper, eyeing the new addition to their group, who was in heavy discussion with Anders and Varric. There was definitely trouble within the man, he was trying to hide something from them, but whatever it was, was his burden he kept to himself. Joe was washing her son's hair in the small pond, the boy decided rolling around in the mud was a grand idea while they chased a rage demon infused ram around. How in the void a ram had a rage demon within it, made them all scratch their head's when they looked at the collar  
around it's neck. Mr. Woolsley, belonging to someone in Redcliffe. Then there was the spirit of Love trapped in the lake near Blackwall's camp which they freed, and she gave them a location to a nice new sword Blackwall was grateful for, even is she was very wary of himself.  
  
And then there was the Cult of the breach, or whatever they were. He had no idea what to think of that when they all bent their knee's to him for being both the Herald of Andraste and a half mortal spirit. But at least they would be helping the refugee's and gather information for the Inquisition, even if there were all raving mad in his eyes.  
  
The Hinterland's where, an odd place, when Vance sat down on the log. There was still much to do here, but the mages must be their priority before anything else. Bear came running over to him grinning and flopped down on the log beside him, laying on his back looking up at him, "What will happen to the lady that was in the lake? Will she go home? Will you?" he asked him quietly.  
  
"I do believe Love will find her way home, or find another place to reside in your world. Though as for me, I do not wish to go home. This was my home a long time ago, it feels right to be back here, Bear."  
  
The boy frowned a little before huffing, crossing his arm's over his chest, and all Vance could see was Orran when the boy looked at him again, "Do you think she could, be my friend? I know my daddy had two friend's like you. They went away when my uncle and auntie died."  
  
Vance's eyes widened slightly, looking Bear over, "I, do not know. Why would you want her to be your friend, Bear?"  
  
"Because I can heal like uncle Anders and daddy. Uncle Anders said I should look for Compassion, or Faith. But I don't want Faith. Daddy had Purpose and Fortitude," Bear sat up and narrowed his eyes at him, "Would Love help if I ask her?"  
  
He, actually had no idea. Vance hummed while looking around the camp, "What does your mother say, Bear? I will not ask Love if she says no."  
  
Bear grinned wide at him then ran off over to Joe. The boy was a healer like Orran, a spirit healer, that's why the boy was just as strong as Joe and Orran, though Joe couldn't heal. Joe looked over at him, tilting her head then she looked back to her son, ruffling his damp hair, Anders looked at him too and nodded his head. Bear came running back over, nearly falling flat on his face when he stumbled and giggled when he grabbed his arm, "They said yes."  
  
Vance nodded to Bear and picked him up, earning a surprised squeak from the boy then ran off in the direction he knew Love went. If the other spirit agreed then the boy would have Love in his soul as he should, then perhaps Compassion or Valor would help him also.  
  
"Your not mean like uncle Anders said you were," Bear said quietly to him on his shoulder, "Uncle Anders is a bit bossy sometimes, not like uncle Fenris. I like you."  
  
He nearly stumbled his step's and had to slow down his run, holding the boy tight in his arm's. He had no idea how to respond to that. Vance just smiled at Bear and took off running again, feeling the presence of Love just up ahead.  
  
Love looked up at him and started to back away from the Blood Lotus she was admiring when he slowed his pace and walked slowly up to her, "Peace, Love, I am not here to hurt you. I, we come with a request, if you will listen."  
  
Love tilted her head then smiled at the boy, "Hello little one. You sing like the blue, a song of a thousand chime's whispering on the wind. I see love in your heart little one."  
  
Bear grinned wide at her when Vance put him down, and she smiled back at him more, "Mama love's me and I love my mama. I love uncle Anders and Fenris too."  
  
"Indeed you do child. What is the request you make, Vengeance. But, you are not just Vengeance, are you? How curious."  
  
Vance shook his head and knelt down on one knee to Love, "No I am not. I am Vengeance and I am Justice. I, saved his essence when I hurt him. But I am also half mortal, Love. The request we ask of you is, can you aid the boy in his healing. He needs the guidance of one such as yourself, and another. If, you would, Love."  
  
The other spirit looked back at the boy and put her hand out to him. Bear walked forward slowly putting his hand in hers, "You are very young, child of the song. I see the love within you is deep. Your connection to our realm is deep too, as is another. Yes, yes I see it. Your mother, another child of the song. Yes, I agree to this request. I am light enough to slip back home, and I will aid you. I know of another who will as well. I hope you do not mind having the aid of Hope, little one."  
  
Bear grinned even more, nodding his head vigorously at her. Vance nodded as well, Love and Hope, perfect for one such as Bear.  
  
"Then I shall bid my leave to you both. I will seek you soon, child of the song, with Hope by my side."  
  
"Thank you Love, and thank Hope for us as well. I bid you farewell."  
  
"Bye bye."  
  
Love bowed to them, touched the Blood Lotus and slipped away. Vance felt the small tug of the fade as she did so and looked back at Bear who was looking where Love vanished in awe.  
  
"We should return back to your mother, Bear. And you should be the one to tell her what happened here."  
  
"I will. Thank you Vance," Bear tried to wrap his arm's around him, and giggled when he couldn't, then squeaked when Vance picked him up, running back to the camp. Bear wrinkled his nose on Vance's shoulder then sighed out laying his head upon it, "At least she didn't say Faith. I don't like Faith, he was mean to me and mama when we where in the fade. Mama said he was blind, he couldn't see what he was doing. Like the chantry."  
  
"Indeed Bear. Faith can be blind, like Justice and Vengeance. But I am no longer blind, Bear. I can see the world's for what they are, and there is much beauty around us, mortals don't like to see it. But yes, Faith is a bit uppity, just like the chantry."  
  
Bear giggled on his shoulder and patted his back. Vance slowed down and smiled at both Anders and Joe who stood by the fire watching them returning. Bear grinned wide at his mother putting his arm's out to her when Vance lowered so she could take him, then practically jumped out of his arm's into hers, giggling madly. Anders narrowed his eyes at him and motioned with his head away from the camp.  
  
Vance could hear Bear telling Joe everything that happened, the boy's memories were excellent as he walked away from them with Anders. The other mage had furrowed brow's looking down at the ground, and then stopped.  
  
"I didn't think you'd do it to be honest, Vengeance."  
  
"Anders, how many time's do I need to tell you, I chose the name Vance. Please, bloody remember it."  
  
Anders furrowed his brow more, his mouth thinning as he looked up at him, "Yeah sure, fine, Vance. You've changed. Justice did you good. And all it took was you killing him to fucking well see that."  
  
Vance crossed his arm's over his chest glaring at the mage in-front of him, "I'm not going to argue with you about this, Anders. So you can shut your damned mouth about it. But why would I not agree with Bear having a spirit like Love for a guide, I think it's perfect. And she will bring Hope with her as well. Bear will have all he needs for his healing, but it is a shame someone like you will be teaching him and not Orran. His damned father should be here helping him, not you!" he spat at Anders.  
  
Anders stumbled backwards a few pace's in shock, his eyes going wide looking up at him, his mouth parted slightly. Anders blinked a few time's and looked back at Joe and Bear, and Vance could see the sheen over his eyes, "I know," he whispers out, "It wasn't fair the Maker saw fit to bloody well take him. I'm not the best person in Thedas I know that," he looked back at him, rubbing his chest the sheen turning to tear's down his face, "I fucked up. I know that alright. I tried to save Hawke's life, but there was nothing anyone could do."  
  
"I saw the final battle Anders. I saw the look of peace in his face when he looked back at Joe before killing himself. It, hurt to watch. It hurt a lot of my kind to watch him die in the way he did. Even the Greaters were shocked. Kirkwall became a place for all my kind to watch, even if some where eager to pass through there to pull at the string's of blood magic the mages tried to do. Orran's two guides were there watching also," Vance wrinkled his nose and looked away from Anders, "It hurt them the most that they could not rejoin him. He treated them with respect. Unlike you who treated Compassion like rubbish when you called forth me to push him aside."  
  
"I know. I, know alright. He never came back when you two, left," Anders buried his face in his hand's when he dropped to the floor, "I just thought, I just wanted vengeance, to be stronger when the fucking sword went in my chest and then Justice saved my life at the same time you came in me, and then- He never came back."  
  
Vance shook his head slowly as he knelt down on the ground taking Anders hand's away from his face, tear's streaked down them and he sighed quietly, "That is because he is dead, Anders. He became twisted into Despair, and I had to kill him. It, was not pleasant to kill him, Anders, trust me on that. It is not pleasant seeing one's I knew back in the fade twisted when they are forced through the tear's. I am glad I am not one of them, and neither will Justice. Do you not have a guide any more?"  
  
Anders snorted wiping the tear's from his face, "Faith. Bloody Faith is, sort of trying to help me. But with Love and Hope helping Bear, he's going to be stronger then me. Orran was stronger then me with Purpose and Fortitude. For fuck's sake, do you know how rare spirit healers are? There was just me and Wynne in Kinloch. Then there was Orran. And now, Bear."  
  
"Then let's find you two who will help other then bloody Faith. If you are listening Faith, fuck off."  
  
Anders barked a laugh at him and wiped his face more, "Andraste's knicker weasel's, Vance. I can't believe your swearing, it's bloody hilarious!"  
  
Vance tilted his head at the mage and barked a laugh himself, nodding his head as he stood, "Memories, Anders."  
  
*****  
  
The road to Redcliffe was utterly empty when they all walked up the cobble stone's. There wasn't a soul around for mile's and that un-nerved Vance. There should be soldier's or guards walking the path's and road's. The fight had stopped between both rebel mage and Templar when the Inquisition besieged their camp's, but there was still not a soul around.  
  
The tug of a tear was nearby, but it felt, off, the closer they got. Vance pulled his two-hander from the sheath on his back, ready for what would await them up ahead. He could hear the click of Varric preparing Bianca, the slip of Anders ties to free the staff from his back. And he could feel the tug of both Joe's and Bear's magic behind him.  
  
They all walked slowly up the cobbled road, the green glow of the tear shining down on them, but, there was something else with this tear and Anders tugged on his arm to stop.  
  
"There's something not right here. There's sodding magic swirling about, but nothing like anything I know."  
  
"I agree with Anders, somethings not right here," Joe muttered looking up at the tear.  
  
Vance nodded his head and walked ahead of them. There were odd thing's upon the ground he's never seen with the other tear's, the tug on them where unlike anything he has felt either. He could feel Terror's nearby watching them the closer they got.  
  
"Bear, go with Uncle Varric down the way a bit. What ever is wrong here, I do not want you near it, okay," Vance muttered.  
  
Bear nodded his head and backed away with Varric.  
  
The Terror's shot up at the ground while they where distracted, knocking Joe off her feet before trying to swipe at her. Vance wrinkled his nose up and ran at the Lesser, the thing cowered before he severed it in half. Another came out the ground behind Anders, the mage rolled out the way before it could swipe at him, only to go over the thing on the ground. Vance blinked when Anders moved in slow motion, and then sped up.  
  
A Despair fell out from the tear, wailing at them all, and went over another of the odd thing's and slowed down. Joe took advantage of this and sent her spirit arrow's into it along with fire. More Terror's rose up from the ground then cowered at Vance's presence. He put his hand up to the tear and pulled on it, tugging it closed, watching the Terror's screech before dying.  
  
"What in the name of Varric's chest hair's where those," Joe panted out pointing to where the odd thing's were, "Time seemed to speed up then slow down when I stood on one."  
  
"Naawww Bard, I knew you loved the chest hair!" Varric grinned putting Bianca away, "But yeah what the sod was all that?"  
  
"I do not know. I have never seen anything like it. Anders?"  
  
Anders shook his head putting his staff away, then grimaced, "You don't suppose it's got anything to do with the mages in there, do you? Maker I hope not."  
  
"We shall find out. Though the gate appears to be locked. I thought we sent scout's here?" Vance muttered tugging on the locked gate.  
  
"I know a way in," Joe grinned taking her lock picks from her belt making Varric huff a laugh at her, "Yes Varric, these are my birthday presents you sent me last year."  
  
"Good to know," he snickered taking out his own to help her.  
  
Vance glared beyond the gate, there where no Inquisition scout's, no soldier's beyond, nobody again. Something was very very wrong here. He hoped to all beyond that is wasn't the mages doing this.  
  
The gate lock's clicked open and both Varric and Joe threw them to one side as Vance pushed the gate open. They all walked through and still nobody came up to them when they nearly got to the windmill. He looked sideway's at Joe who was holding her son's hand, a pale look on her face as she looked up at it, then back down the road. The sound of people talking were up ahead, but still didn't explain why nobody was at the gate.  
  
There were mages everywhere in the village proper, some in robe's other in rag's looking about themselves, worried. A few spotted him due to his height and came running over with their hand's out in peace, "Oh thank the Maker someone's finally here. That bloody Magister locked the gate's and wouldn't allow us too leave!"  
  
A Magister, oh was he glad Fenris weren't here to hear this, "Who is this man and why would he not allow you to leave?"  
  
"Because of Fiona indenturing us to his servitude to the Imperium, that's what. Stupid bloody bitch," another spat then started to sob, "we just want people to help us, but nobody cares about us at all."  
  
"Oh Ancestor's have mercy. Is she completely out of her mind! How can she bloody do that to you?" Joe asked them.  
  
The first mage shook his head at her, "She wants her people safe. Do we look safe being locked up again? There's bloody children down there frightened out of their mind's. We have elderly mages with us too. There's over three hundred of us here, three hundred mages that's left from the rebel's fighting and the bloody annulment's!"  
  
Joe and Anders looked at each other in shock then back at them. Vance slipped his eyes closed. This was all that was left of all the mages in Thedas, this, they had to help them regardless what Cassandra or Cullen had said, "We will help you. We're the Inquisition, and I will not let this stand. Tell me where this, Magister is so I can deal with him."  
  
"Oh thank you, thank you, Maker thank you. He's in the Gull and Lantern Inn down there," the other mage pointed, "He wont like you asking question's though."  
  
"What are both your name's?"  
  
"I am Lysas, and my friend here is Danis."  
  
Vance nodded to them both, "Well met. Can you possibly get any of the mages away from here without his knowledge?"  
  
"The children and the elderly we can, but the other's I don't think so," Lysas muttered looking behind himself, "Maker, I just want this over with."  
  
"Then get them out of here, Lysas. There is an Inquisition camp two mile's down the road, and the road is empty so you should have no trouble along the way. A man named Blackwall will be at the camp. Tell him that I, Vance, sent you."  
  
Lysas and Danis breathed in a sigh of relief and set off to get them out. Vance shook his head at the rest of the mages, "We need to deal with his, now," and set off down to the Inn.  
  
"Is it me, or are there no Tranquil around?" Joe muttered walking through the village, "I haven't seen one among them."  
  
Vance looked about himself, and saw none himself, "You don't suppose their dead do you?"  
  
"Oh Maker I hope not. We saved so many from Kirkwall. There were a lot at Kinloch too," Anders took Joe's hand along with Bear's, "I don't like this."  
  
Vance nodded his head in agreement, there was something very wrong here. Most of the mages around them were half starved, there were no Tranquil, and who ever this Magister was, obviously gave up caring about any of them. And then there was the odd magic by the tear. He looked over to his left when Joe stopped and gasped out, taking both Anders and Bear with her to a broken bridge.  
  
"What the bloody hell?" Joe muttered standing in-front of it, "I may hate the castle, but who destroyed the sodding bridge! Where they hell are the royal guards?"  
  
"And our Inquisition scout's. Something is very wrong here, Joe," Vance muttered out.  
  
Joe looked up at him with a very worried look on her face. He knew how she felt when they all jogged down to the Gull and Lantern. All there was around them where broken and very frightened mages. This, is not what Orran's dream should of been, this is not what any of them wanted, he knew this. They had to get the mages out of here as soon as possible.  
  
Vance put his hand up when he got to the Inn's door, and slowly pushed it open. There were only a few people inside, just as frightened as those on the outside, and they all walked in slowly looking for this Magister.  
  
"I greet you Inquisition. I am former Grand Enchanter Fiona. How may we- JOE! Joette, is that you?"  
  
"Makers breath Fiona, what the hell have you done! Why didn't you tell us in bloody Val Royeaux that you bound yourself to a fucking Magister!" Joe spat at her.  
  
"I, what are you talking about? I haven't been to Val Royeaux since before the Conclave," Fiona wrung her hand's together, and Vance noted the pained and terrified expression go across her face, "Joe, you have to get out of here."  
  
"No, no I wont. I want to know why you indentured the rest of the mages to a damned Magister Fiona! What's wrong with you?"  
  
"Ahh, it seems our visitor's are finally here. I welcome you friend's. I am Magister Gereon Alexius and the mages are under my protection."  
  
Vance narrowed his eyes at the Magister, the man had a sly grin on his face, but yet, there was pain and loss within his heart that obviously had nothing to do with what he was doing to the rest of the mages outside.  
  
"Protection," Vance scoffed then pointed behind himself, "They are NOT protected. They are starving, they are frightened, and they will be coming with us, servitude or no."  
  
Gereon shook his head and pulled out several piece's of paper from the pouch on his belt, "I'm afraid you can't, Herald. They are now bound to the service of the Imperium. I have every legal right to all of them. But, I maybe willing to... negotiate a deal."  
  
"THEY'RE NOT CATTLE YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!" Anders shouted at him, "How dare you!"  
  
Vance put his hand on Anders shoulder to calm him down, then shook his head at them all, "I wont negotiate with someone like you. But I wish to speak with Fiona in priv-"  
  
A young man stumbled into him, Vance barely caught him then felt a piece of paper shoved into his hand when he righted the young man. Gereon flew out of his seat, panicked, taking the young man's arm's, "Forgive me, friend's. My son, he's- Fiona come and bring me my powder's back at the castle."  
  
And then, they all left, leaving them all standing there in shock. Vance looked down at the piece of paper in his hand and unfurled it, 'You are in danger. Come to the chantry as soon as possible.'  
  
Joe and Anders frowned at the note looking at each other, Vance crumpled it in his hand and tossed it away, "It could be a trap or it could be genuine. But we cannot allow this, Gereon, to take the mages away."  
  
Anders wrinkled his entire face up and stormed out the Inn, Varric hot on his heel's. Joe put her head in her hand's when she sat down at the table, Bear putting his head on her shoulder looking up at him, and Vance lent his hip on the table crossing his arm's over his chest, "I did not realise you knew Fiona."  
  
Joe looked up at him with wet lashes and his heart wanted to break at the pained look in her face, "She's, she's Alistair's mother, Vance. She had to give him up, she had no choice to give him to Maric to raise, and look how well that turned out."  
  
"Are you serious?" Vance looked out the window where the castle was then back down to Joe, "Does he know?"  
  
Joe shook her head pulling her son closer to her kissing the top of his head, "He has no idea. I only know because of Him joyously telling me when he beat the crap out of me when I snuck out to see my brother one night. And she knows me when she came to Maric's supposed funeral and spoke to me, sort of."  
  
Vance slipped his eyes closed, and put his hand on her shoulder and almost sighed out feeling the song roll through him from her, "We have to get her and the other's away from here. I will not let this injustice stand. It is not right."  
  
He felt Joe stiffen slightly then sigh out nodding her head at him. Bear smiled sadly at his mother when she stood, taking her hand, then his own, Vance smiled at the boy as they left the Inn for the chantry. Anders and Varric where already waiting for them, Anders had his ear pressed to the door and his staff in hand, "There's someone in there, but there's also the same tug of the weird magic, like outside the gate's."  
  
Vance nodded pulling his sword free from the sheath on his back, stepped back a few pace's then kicked the chantry door's open. Another mage was trying to battle the Lessers and Greaters coming from the tear and turned to face them, "Would you mind terribly helping me with this," he grinned at them then threw out a cone of cold, "My clothes are getting utterly ruined."  
  
The lessers cowered when Vance kicked the broken door's aside when he strode in, and swung his sword over the one's who where frozen. The clunk-click of Bianca sounded out behind him with Varric snickering the whole time, Anders flung out several fireball's, Joe was snorting laughs pulling her bow string back faster then he could keep up.  
  
Vance put his hand out as he walked slowly past the odd magic on the ground, pointing it at the tear then pulled it back, closing it killing the Lessers who where cowering.  
  
"So, how does that work exactly?" the mage in-front of him asked, leaning on his staff looking up at him, "Fasta Vass, you are a large one aren't you."  
  
"It work's like anything from the fade, Magister," Vance sneered at him, lifting his sword the man's neck, "Are you the one creating his new magic. I will strike you down if you are!"  
  
"NO NO! Don't hurt him Vengeance, please!"  
  
Joe and Vance looked over at a doorway in the back of the chantry as Feynriel came running out, holding his robe's up in his hand's to stop himself from tripping over, a small smile on his face when he dropped them, putting his hand's over his mouth looking at them both.  
  
"Feynriel," Joe grinned at him, pulling him in for a hug, resting her forehead on his, "Oh Maker and Ancestor's, what are you doing back here? And is this Him," she motioned with her head.  
  
Feynriel grinned more nodding his head, and pulled Bear in for a hug as well, "Yes it is. But, Joe, we can't stay long. Vengeance is in danger from Gereon and the Venatori. We need to get Felix away from him as well."  
  
"Well, I feel awfully put out here, Amatus. OH, manner's, I am Dorian Pavus, formally of Minrathous and you really are a rather large former spirit."  
  
"Wonderful, another Magister," Varric muttered out pointing Bianca at him, then sighed lowering it, "Shit."  
  
"Uh, I'm an Altus. Pah you southerner's and your label's. 'Oh look, a scary mage from Tevinter. Must be a Magister. Spooky spooky.' But I digress," Dorian chuckled, "I did in-fact help, create the time magic around us. It's become splintered, I have no idea how Alexius even did it. But if we don't contain it, boom, more hole's where hole's shouldn't be."  
  
Anders pushed past Vance narrowing his eyes at Dorian, "There's no such thing at time magic. It's theoretically impossible!"  
  
"Nothing is ever impossible," Dorian grinned at him bowing, "But we have to stop it, as well as all these fade tear's, and save Felix from his father, save the mages. Oh the list is getting longer, Amatus."  
  
Vance rolled his eyes at Dorian waving his hand's about in a flourish grinning. The man was like Anders... just, more so.  
  
"We do not have much time then. We need to get into the castle and deal with this. I will not have time to send a raven back to Leliana and the other's in Haven. Joe, do you know a way in?"  
  
Joe slowly nodded her head at him, "The windmill."


	7. Chapter 7

The future, was one he wanted never to happen when they landed there at the bottom of the castle. The fade crackled and snapped all around him as they walked through the crumbling castle. Dorian was shocked when they first awoke, backing away slightly when Vance stood up, his dark blue aura emanating from him like it would normally do in the fade, but was tinged with pale blue streaking through him. The dark blue and light blue smoke swirled around him, tugging on the fade piece in his hand up his arm, but Dorian still backed away from him, muttering in Tevene under his breath the entire time.  
  
He knew his eyes would be mixed with both the dark blue and the pale blue of Justice within him, but they really had no time to dally, and the fact Bear got pulled in with them didn't help matter's. But the boy was perfectly fine, as the made their way through the dungeon's to the higher levels. Dorian was fussing over Bear after every fight they had with the Venatori, Bear was wrinkling his nose slapping his hand's away. He so much reminded him of Orran, it hurt.  
  
But it wasn't just the Venatori nor the fade that breached the entire world, it was the fact there was red lyrium growing everywhere throughout the castle, growing out of the dead and dying around them. The world and the fade mingled in chaos around them. A year, A void taken year had gone by when they found Fiona nearly dead with the red growing out of her. Vance put her out of her misery when they left her behind to find the other's, even if this is the maybe future, he didn't want her to suffer any longer.  
  
Bear was on Dorian's back, encasing them both in the bubble the boy created, protecting them from everything around them while Vance strode forward with his two-hander held in one hand. Lessers and Greaters following them through out the castle, protecting them also. It was the oddest thing, to have the twisted following them in submission. A Desire begged Vance to kill her, and he did, other's cowered then followed, a Greater Pride even cowered when it fell out of a tear. And now, they all followed him as they walked through the castle, trying to find the other's.  
  
"Are you sure you want to find them, Vance? It may not be entirely pleasant," Dorian muttered hoisting Bear up higher on his back.  
  
"We have to," his voice reverberated everywhere, "You may not wish to see what was done to Feynriel, and I do not wish to see what has happened to everyone, but we need to find them."  
  
Dorian sighed and nodded, "I certainly don't want my future to look like this. Kaffas, this is just- See, this is what happens when my own country men play with magic they don't understand. Madness, utter madness."  
  
"I do not wish to see this either. Who ever this Elder One is will perish under the judgement of Justice and Vengeance. I will not let this stand for both our kind, Pavus."  
  
"Well, now I am utterly terrified of you. Thanks for that," Dorian chuckled, "And what of you young man? Doing well there?"  
  
"No," Bear huffed, "I want to go home."  
  
"You and me both. We shall see when we find Alexius and the pendant and see if I can turn back time. I hope I can. Venhedis."  
  
Vance put up his hand and tilted his head walking slowly to the door ahead of them. Sound's of someone singing from beyond made him sigh out when he pushed the door open. Varric was sitting down on the ground humming along with Anders in the next cell, then looked up at him and grinned, "Well, about sodding time you showed up, Gigantor!"  
  
"Makers breath, Vance! Look at you!" Anders muttered holding onto the cell's bar's, red swirling around, just like Varric and Fiona, "Why am I not surprised your alive. And Bear!"  
  
"Uncle, uncle Anders? Where's mama?"  
  
Vance watched the two men look at each other before lowering their head's, "She's with Feynriel. But, Vance, you can't let Bear see her. You can't!"  
  
Vance pulled the door's from their hinge's letting the other two free, he didn't want to touch either of them, not with the red lyrium flowing through them, "Is she still alive?" he asked Anders quietly.  
  
"Yes, in, in a way," Anders looked at Bear with a pained look in his face.  
  
"We've been sent a year into the future. What ever happened after we left wont happen when we return. I wont allow it Anders. What happened to her? Bear understands this is will not happen."  
  
Anders bit his lip and shook his head, taking hold of Varric's hand when he hobbled over, "Joe and Feynriel, their, he, made them into- Maker, I can't!"  
  
"Can we just get on with this. If this ain't real for you, then it ain't going to matter, is it. Alexius is going to be in his throne room, and you'll bloody well see for yourselves. And why the fuck are there so many of them following you," Varric motioned with his thumb at the Lessers and Greaters outside the door.  
  
"Because they chose to follow," Vance's voice boomed out, echoing everywhere, "Show us to this throne room so we can leave this nightmare behind."  
  
Anders and Varric nodded, pushed past the following horde and went up a set of stair's. More Lessers and Greaters joined in following them, cowering in submission to Vance, but he didn't care, they needed to get out of here, he will not allow this future to happen. The Empresses death mattered little to him, but the breach spreading over the world, creating a new fade in the mortal realm, twisting the good from his realm, no, this will not happen, he will not allow it. But, Joe and Feynriel, why where the other two loath to even speak of what happened to them, was worrying him more then anything.  
  
They jogged their way through the ruined castle, the fade tugging and pulling at him everywhere they went. It was wrong, the entire thing was wrong when it tugged at him more. It felt ugly, distorted and twisted, this is not what it should feel like when they jogged into the grand hall.  
  
"That's the door, but, er, Gigantor, it's locked. And I can't open it," Varric shrugged looking at the mechanism on the door.  
  
Vance wrinkled his nose, sneered his lip and stepped back a few pace's, then lifted his booted foot up and kicked at it, hard. The door budged a little, and he did it again. One of the Greater Pride's joined him, pushing it's shoulder into it while he kicked at it. Mechanism or no, they will break this door down. The Pride stepped back a few pace's the same time as Vance and they both shouldered the door open, splintering it upon the floor and walked through together. Anders, Varric, Dorian and Bear coming in after, the horde after them filling the throne room with some very angry beings.  
  
Alexius sat on the throne with his head in his hand's, not even looking up when Vance bounded up the steps to the dais, and hauled him out of it pulling him up to his face, "You will PAY for what you have done, filth. Who is the Elder One! ANSWER ME!" he spat into the man's face.  
  
Alexius began to laugh, slowly at first, his shoulder's rising and lowering the more he laughed, then looked into Vance's face, "Kill me if you want, I don't care," he sneered his own lip's at him and lent forward as much as he could, "I did it for my son, creature. I did it all for him!"  
  
"Father, please. Hasn't this madness gone on enough. Why wont you let me just die?" Felix rasped, crawling out from behind the throne, his hair was missing his cheek's where sunken in so much he looked like a walking corpse, "I'm already dead, just let me die, father!"  
  
"NO! Your all I have, Felix. I wont, I CAN'T!"  
  
"Venhedis, Alexius, what have you done to him?" Dorian ran over to Felix when he fell onto the ground, leaving Bear to stand next to Vance, "Why would you even do this? This is madness even for you!"  
  
The horde behind them parted when the sound of stone hitting stone made them all turn around. Alexius began to laugh again in Vance's grip, "I did this to live, Dorian. I did all this to live. And now, you wont," he grins when Vance drop's him to the ground.  
  
Two golem's stood in-front of the dais and Vance felt a wave of sick go through him, feeling Feynriel's magic from one, and Joe's from the other. The two golem's bowed their head's to Alexius when he waved his hand's, and they both went into battle stance, magic swirling about themselves. No, he couldn't, he, he couldn't do this when they charged up the dais at them. Bear screamed and ran behind the throne, throwing his bubble around him for protection, Dorian paled putting his staff out in-front of him when Feynriel went to hit him.  
  
"Joe! Please stop, do not do this," Vance shouted at her when she hit him in the chest, feeling her magic rip right through him when he stumbled back, "Void, please just stop!"  
  
The golem Joe pounded her fist's together lowering her head and charged at him, Vance danced out the way and kicked her from behind sending her to the ground. The golem Feynriel was focused on everyone else, Dorian was trying not to attack him as well. Vance closed his eyes when the golem Joe righted herself, he wouldn't do this, he couldn't kill her no matter what, not in-front of Bear. He looked behind himself at the Horde, and nodded, "Kill Alexius and the golem's," he ordered.  
  
He didn't want to watch when he went behind the throne picking Bear up in his arm's, the boy sobbing hard into his chest wrapping his arm's tight around his neck. Neither of them wanted to watch the madness behind them. He wrapped one arm around Bear's head so he couldn't listen, and clamped his own eyes shut to the sound of the screaming behind him, to the sound of stones being ripped apart.  
  
"I wont let this happen, Bear," he muttered into the boy's hair, "I wont. It will not come to pass, I promise you that."  
  
Bear nodded his head, he could hear the boy sobbing harder against him, and Vance kissed the top of his head, "This is not real now, it will not come to pass."  
  
"Fasta Vass, we need to work fast. I have the amulet from Alexius, but, it seems who ever this Elder One is, is sending his own horde this way."  
  
Vance nodded his head and turned to look at Anders and Varric, who were looking at each other and then broken door's, "We'll keep them off you as long as we can. If, um, this lot will help, that is," Anders muttered.  
  
"Aid them," Vance rumbled out, holding Bear closer to his chest, "Aid them and protect us."  
  
The remaining horde all nodded and flew through the broken door's with the other two to the castle's entrance. He knew this was not the true future, but it pained him none the less when the fighting started. He didn't want to look at the two broken golem's on the ground, he just turned his back and watched Dorian manipulate the amulet, putting his head on-top of Bear's, stroking his hand down flaxen hair.  
  
A deep male scream rang out, and Vance flinched at the same time as Bear, he didn't want to look when Varric died. Another scream echoed everywhere, and he felt the wave of sick go through him again, feeling the heat on his back from Anders exploding when he died. He looked down at Dorian, the mage trying to get the amulet to work, cursing in Tevene when he started to cry waving his hand's in frustration.  
  
More screams and yells rang out around them, as the horde that followed him were being felled as well, feeling the foulness of this Elder One's horde almost bear down on them. They where running out of time. Vance wanted to both laugh and cry at that, time is what they needed and time is what sent them here.  
  
The amulet spun out of Dorian's hand, a bright flash blinded them briefly just as before.  
  
When Vance blinked his eyes and looked about himself, he sighed out in relief looking down at the other's, whole and well.  
  
"What the bloody hell's going on," Joe muttered raising her eyebrow at him, looking at her son in his arm's then back up to his face, "What happened?"  
  
"We shall tell you later. But first," Vance handed Bear over to Joe, then picked Alexius up by his collar, "You are most lucky we returned, Magister. Your, future," he spat, "will never happen. Do you UNDERSTAND!"  
  
"I do. You've won. Kill me if you must, but let my son live, please."  
  
Vance sneered his lip and dropped Alexius onto the ground and looked over at Felix, "You have the blight do you not?"  
  
"Yes," Felix sighed out, "Father, just let me die with dignity, please. Let me go."  
  
Vance had no desire to listen to father and son talk, nor Dorian and the other's when he faced Joe and Bear. Bear had his arm's flung around Joe's neck when she knelt down to him, running her hand's up and down his back as he cried onto her shoulder. Vance furrowed his brow and bit his lip as he watched them, everyone else around him mattered not when he slowly walked over to them, nobody else mattered when he went on bended knee next to them. The world could burn around them all he cared, when Joe looked at him searching his face, he would protect the two of them if no-one else will. He will not allow that future to happen, no matter the cost.  
  
"I will not let it happen, Joe," he whispered to her, putting his large hand on her shoulder, "I will not let anything happen to either of you."  
  
Joe nodded her head and smiled at him, putting her own hand on-top of his, the song within her soothing him when he smiled back.  
  
"What about my people? What will happen to us now?" Fiona asked.  
  
"The mages will come back to Haven with us, Enchanter," Vance said squeezing Joe's shoulder once before letting go to stand, "They will help us close the breach and find out who this, Elder One is. If you do not wish to join them, Fiona, then you may leave. You were the one who indentured them all as it was."  
  
Fiona wiped the tear's from her face looking up at him and nodded vigorously, "I just wanted my people safe. There's not many of us left any more. We will go with you to Haven, Herald. I wont let them suffer any more."  
  
"Good, because I was going to take them anyway, with or without your blessing. And we will deal with Alexius in due time. We need the breach closed with your help and what few Templars we managed to save. And- Now what is going on?" Vance frowned at the people running through the door's.  
  
"JOE! Oh maker, there you are!"  
  
"Connor? Where's Aeden and Alistair? Where's the rest of your royal guard?"  
  
"They went with both of them when they started to hear the calling. I don't know where they are! I've been trying to reach you only to find your here," the young man panted out bringing Joe and Bear in for an embrace, "They all went with them, I just don't know where!"  
  
*****  
  
Joe thumbed the ring on her finger, sitting with Bear on the pier on the frozen lake, watching and waiting, looking up at the breach. Mutton had her head on Bear's lap, snoozing, Bear stroking her head and ear's with his head on Joe's shoulder. He told her everything he saw in the Dark future, while Vance told his advisor's. She and Feynriel where golem's, how was that even possible when Aeden and Alistair destroyed the Anvil. The only other golem that wasn't broken or locked away was Shayle. Maker, she honestly didn't want to be forced into becoming what Shayle went through. She needed to get in-contact with Shaperate Cadash, she needed to know if any of the Anvil survived.  
  
Joe wrapped her arm around Bear more, kissing the top of his head. Her brother and brother-in-law where missing along with the other Warden's, that did not bode well at all. She knew the risk's when he became a Warden, but he should have another ten, fifteen year's left, not just ten and that's that. Something was very very wrong.  
  
Joe and Bear flinched when they felt the immense tug of the fade above them, and they both watched the breach heave several time's and then close. Joe sighed out kissing Bear's head again, they managed to close it, with the mages and the handful of Templars, with Vance at the front of it all. They would be back soon, and she smiled into Bear's hair at that thought. He looked after her son in the future, both he and Dorian did. But she was utterly grateful to the half mortal spirit more then anything. She was more then grateful if she were being honest with herself.  
  
Joe shook her head at the thought, it's been well over four year's now, even Anders had been subtly nudging her to find someone else. Maker and Ancestor's, she's kicked him hard up the backside several time's, along with Fenris to stop pushing her. Bear comes first, everything else is secondary.  
  
She kissed her five and half year old son's head, then snorted against it when she heard the soft snore coming from him. Mutton lifted her head and and boofed quietly, Joe nodded her head at her dog, "I agree," she said quietly picking her son up, the dog running down over the ice. She was happy Dorian and Feynriel where going to remain with them, researching everything to do with magic with Fiona, and Feynriel doing most of his research in the fade as usual, much to Solas' pleasure. The Iron Bull was not what she was expecting when they met in Haven, he was rather pleasant and so was Krem. Fenris seemed to like the other Tevinter warrior, but, made his displeasure known about Dorian being an Altus. Anders stuck up for him, so did Varric, Vance, Bear and herself. Fenris lost that battle, poor bastard.  
  
Joe gently opened the cabin door, letting Mutton through first before herself, snickered gently at both Anders and Fenris with their arm's around each other on the sofa instead of their bed, and took her son to his own. Mutton jumped up first, with a few misses before she got up there, and settled waiting for Bear to lay next to her. Joe shook her head at her dwarf Mabari when she tucked herself under Bear's arm, and kissed them both before leaving.  
  
The sound of people singing outside made her both sigh out and smile when she left the cabin again. The group had come back from the ruined temple, smiling, singing, dancing with each other while clinking bottle's and tankard's together. They did it, they closed the breach and now, all they needed to do was find who the Elder One was, close the little tear's still about, and set the world to rights again. Spit and a pray!  
  
A tankard was pushed into her hand's while she slowly walked through the people, and she thanked who ever handed it to her before drinking down several gulps, and smiled at the taste of mead on her tongue. She spotted Vance over looking everything, watching with his arm's crossed over his chest, nodding his head at it all. Joe couldn't help the smirk that went over her face looking at him. Maker, he was still huge compared to everyone else around them. A few people even said he looked Avvar when they met him without a blink of fear behind their eyes. Perhaps he was once, he never said, just that he was killed and wanted Vengeance for his death.  
  
Joe nudged his arm when she stood next to him, handing her tankard over, which he took and swallowed down the entire content's before throwing the tankard into the distance.  
  
"Good grief," Joe snickered nudging his arm again looking up at him, "What a waste of a perfectly nice, ordinary tankard, you brute!"  
  
"I will get another one," he chuckled at her, "maybe one made of dragon bone."  
  
Joe wrinkled her nose up and barked a laugh, "Get me one too while your at it!"  
  
Vance smiled wide down at her, and Maker take her, there it was again when she looked into his eyes, and blushed looking away. What the Ancestor's was wrong with her? Joe sighed when he rested his hand on her shoulder, and squeezed it slightly when he looked back out at the people singing and dancing, feeling the fade from him run into her. She bit her lip when she looked at him sideway's, then rolled her eyes looking the other way. Yup, she was completely and utterly barking mad.  
  
"Joe," he muttered making her jump a little, "I, wish to ask you something."  
  
Joe looked up at him and nodded for him to go ahead.  
  
"May I -" he never got to finish when the war horn's around them blasted out. Joe frowned looking out over the valley, then gasped at all the torches in the distance. The entire encampment went into a frenzy around them, everyone sobering up looking at the huge encroaching army heading their way. They both ran off down to Cullen, Cassandra and Josephine looking at the marching people coming towards them. And Joe felt her stomach bottom out when she sees it's Templars, Red fucking Templars coming to Haven. And then Samson leading the charge with-  
  
"It can not be! No, Orran killed him. I was there, I watched Orran kill him!"  
  
Joe frowned looking up at Vance when he flung the door's open, then stepped back as a boy with a large floppy hat stumbled backwards away from Vance, "Who is it?"  
  
"Corypheus," he ground out taking the sword from his back, "Joe, you and Bear go to the chantry. Wake Anders and Fenris, I need them. And Compassion, I will not hurt you, go with her."  
  
Joe looked at the boy in the floppy hat nodding at Vance then took her arm, "Compassion?"  
  
"Cole," the pale blue eyed boy said smiling at her, "You are every pretty and blue. Like lyrium when it doesn't smell like old sock's."  
  
Joe widened her eyes at the boy and smiled at him, "Hello Cole. I don't know how you got here, but I wont say no to a hand with my son and the other two."  
  
*****  
  
"You have ruined it with your stumbling spirit," his back hit's the trebuchet when Corypheus throws him like he was nothing. Vance grit his teeth at the pain shooting through him, looking up at the Darkspawn Magister flailing his arm's about.  
  
"You dare take what was mine to begin with. The anchor is permanent," Corypheus pointed his long gnarled finger at him, the dragon behind him stalking closer, "I will not suffer an unknown rival, even one such as you! You could of fought by my side, but you stumble in the dark like any other mortal. Pathetic."  
  
"Yes, do go on, Corypheus. I'm all ear's," Vance smirked at him picking up his sword that was broken in two, "We wont bow to you, none of us will. I will finish what he started Magister, I promise you that."  
  
"YOU DARE! I am your GOD!"  
  
"No, you are not," Vance quickly looked to the side and smirked even more, putting his foot on the crank, "Your nothing but a deluded man with grandeur. I have judged you Corypheus, I have weighed the scale's and found you wanting. Justice and Vengeance will be mine!"  
  
Corypheus roared at him as he pushes the crank handle down, sending the trebuchet's pay load into the side of the mountain. Vance dropped his sword as he ran, not even bothering to look behind himself. He would be facing the monster again, he knew this as he fell through the rotten wood. Vance grit his teeth more falling down the dark hole, hitting his back against the stone beneath. He put his hand's up as snow piled into the hole, covering him, pain shooting through his body.  
  
He has no idea how long he lays there, but the cold seeps into his bones, into his core when he tries to sit and grimace's at the pain in his back and down his leg's. He needs to get out of here, to find the other's, and he hoped to the void that everyone survived. He had no idea if Iron Bull went back with Anders, Fenris and Cassandra. He had no idea how many had perished in the aftermath of what he had to do. He hoped to all, Joe and Bear made it out alive. He would never be able to live with himself if he failed them like he did Justice by hurting him. He would never be able to live with himself if he failed Orran by not protecting them. _'Please be alive.'_  
  
Cold snapped through out his body, pushing through the tunnel's to the valley beyond. The Shades following him slowly into the cold from the small tear he tugged shut behind him. He could send them to scout, to find the other's, but the other's might kill them before they could tell them he was still alive. _'So much pain'._  
  
The pain he was feeling was worse then anything he's ever felt before. His armour was dented, and broken in place's where Corypheus picked him up then threw him. There's blood freezing on his back, head and leg's, his arm was sore where Corypheus picked him up, almost ripping it out of the socket, but he pushed on through the howling wind's. It bit at his face when he tried to cover it with his good arm, it whipped through his hair pulling it over his face when he tried to push it away. _'Need it cut'_ , he thought to himself and almost laughed at the absurdity of the idea, he might freeze to death out here, half spirit or no and he's thinking about cutting his hair? _'I don't want to die.'_  
  
The Shades behind him pushed him forward when he fell in the snow without him asking them too. They picked him up and pushed him forward when his leg's gave out again, his body almost couldn't take any more when he went past an empty fire-pit, the coal's long cold. _'They came this way.'_  
  
The Shades urged him on more when light flickered in the distance like a beacon, and he nodded his head stiffly at them, letting them guide him to the light. _'It had to be them.'_  
  
The Shades darted ahead when he fell back down in the snow, unable to carry on, hearing the people up ahead scream. He barely heard the word's anyone was saying over the howling wind's when Compassion and the Shades came back. _'They found him.'_  
  
Vance closed his eyes falling face first into the snow. _'Safe and alive.'_  
  
*****  
  
A small wet nose woke him up. A small wet nose and a lick on the chin made him blink his eyes open. A small wet nose and another lick on the chin made him smile, Mutton boofing quietly on his chest. But she, was not the only weight on his chest when he lifted his head. Flaxen hair belonging to the child spread out on his chest like a blanket made him chuckle, running his hand over Bear's head.  
  
Vance could feel the echo's of Love when he stroke's Bear's head more, Love and Hope and one more on the edge, Learning. He could feel the subtle tug of Compassion nearby, and sighed deeply letting his eyes slip close his hand falling to the side when Bear stirred on his chest. He survived, Joe had survived, his friend's, if he could call some of them that, had survived, but several did not. And now they where heading to a place that Solas had mentioned that was tucked in the mountain's. Skyhold, a place where they would be safe from Corypheus,   
where they all would be safe.  
  
"Good morning, Vance," a quiet voice spoke when the tent flap closed and he smiled when Joe sat down next to him, "and don't worry, I don't think their going to burst into song again."  
  
"Void, I hope not," he chuckled turning his head to look at her, "me and Solas where a little dumbfounded. And you have a lovely voice, Joe. Or should I say, Bard."  
  
Joe put her hand over her mouth both to hide her blush and to stop from laughing loud, then snorted shaking her head, "Maker, shush you. I bought you food, and Harritt patched up your armour as much as he could, as well as your clothing."  
  
Vance nodded while he stroked Bear's hair again, Mutton had jumped onto Joe's lap then onto the ground, "Thank you," he said quietly looking over her face, "are you alright?"  
  
Joe shrugged as she sighed out, "This whole thing is a mess, Vance. An ancient darkspawn Magister, who happens to be the same one Orran killed, just happens to show up with a corrupted High Dragon, backed with Red Lyrium Templars, who happen to follow someone we know from Kirkwall? Yeah, never felt better."  
  
"We will figure this out when we get to this Skyhold. I've judged him, Joe, he wont escape judgement. Not from me. Not from any of us."  
  
"I know. It's just, it's happening at the same time the Grey Warden's go missing too. My brother and brother-in-law are missing with their royal contingent, along with the one's from Orlais and Amaranthine. Maker and Ancestor's, I hope it's not all connected."  
  
Vance sighed out through his nose looking up at the roof of the tent, "I hope so as well, Joe," he muttered quietly, "But whatever is happening, it is rocking my realm as well. And they are just as unhappy as I am about it."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning - Brief mention of past abuse, past rape.

Skyhold was beautiful to look at, even if some of it was crumbling away. But still, it was intact, hummed with very old magic and was large enough to house hundred's. The journey here was worth it when the contingent poured over the bridge, through the portcullis into the bailey. The journey was worth it when everyone started to scout through the place, making sure there where no surprises hidden around. The journey was worth it when he stood in the hall, feeling Skyhold sigh around him as he looked at the throne on the high dais over looking everything.  
  
Vance slowly walked through the rubble, minding his step as he looked up at the roof, as he looked over the intact glass window's behind the throne. It was far too small for someone like him when he ran his hand over the aging fabric going behind the throne, but yet it sighed in relief to his touch. The ancient fortress was perfect for them to reside in, all of them.  
  
Joe and Bear were running their hand's over the stones when he lent his arm's over the back of the throne to watch. Both of them had small smiles on their face's when they put both of their hand's on the stones, Joe whispering something to her son, Bear nodding and grinning up at her. They could feel the old magic too that had seeped within the fortress as much as he could. There where definitely hint's of elven, dwarven and something else etched throughout the place, it sang with hint's of the fade as well.  
  
A lot of work would need to be done to the fortress, to make it more livable for everyone who would be staying permanently and for those who would visit. Anders and the only Tranquil from Redcliffe had found the husk of an infirmary and apothecary. Everyone had to put their hand's over their ear's when Anders started squealing like a little girl.  
  
Fenris and Cassandra found a huge training ground, large enough to both train and to teach. Fenris was more then happy to help with that, as he still taught Bear how to fight without a staff. Cullen joined them in clearing the place out with his men.  
  
The Iron Bull, Sera, Varric and Krem all started to clear out what would be the tavern. Well, they said it would be the tavern regardless what anyone else said when they shut the door behind them.  
  
Blackwall and Dennet found an idea place for the mounts. The old barn's were falling down, but were large enough to house many mounts of all breeds and a small paddock. And his own Dracolisk Josephine had managed to find for him. Joe and Bear where right when he looked at it for the first time, it was perfect for him. A large red, white and black Dracolisk who didn't mind having the large half mortal spirit upon her back.  
  
Barris, the last remaining Templars and the mages found a part of the fortress ideal for them too. Tall tower's would serve the mages for learning, the Templars had a small ground near it for training along side the mages. It was, refreshing in Vance's mind, that all of them got along well together, no argument's and animosity between any of them, just people who where all lost and hurt by other's of their own kind to find solace again which each other. Joe and Anders where very happy with it, and if they where happy, then he was happy.  
  
Solas, Dorian and Feynriel all took over the library and the atrium, going through the old book's together, clearing out the old shelves and Solas had started as soon as he got into the atrium, painting a fresco on the curved wall, detailing the journey so far. Leliana, her scout's and raven's where well above the library in an old belfry.  
  
Cole though, was flitting about trying to help everyone, just like any other Compassion. Vance smiled at the other almost mortal spirit when he tugged on Bear's shirt, then chased each other out the grand hall, Joe not to far behind them.  
  
A tap on his arm shook him out of his revelry and nodded his head at Josephine and her writing board smiling up at him, "Herald, I have found the perfect place for my office. It's not too far from here, and there seems to be a war room beyond that. A nice polished wooden table ideal with plotting our next course of action. Would you walk with me?"  
  
"Of Course, Ambassador. Lead the way."  
  
Josephine chuckled slightly and composed herself walking over to the door and pushed it open, "I like the location of this, it's right between the great hall and the war room. Next door leads to the garden's and on the other side, as you saw by the throne, leads up to what will be your private quarters, Herald."  
  
"I do not need private quarters, Ambassador. I will be fine out there with the other's."  
  
Josephine turned gracefully on her heel's and tapped her writing board with her quill, "Ahh, but the leader of the Inquisition will need a private place to reside. We need to show the people you are just as much as they are. We have impression's to make," she grins dipping her quill in the ink, "And I will take no less then yes."  
  
Vance raised an eyebrow at her then shook his head, "I beg your pardon?"  
  
"Who better then to lead us then the one who's been doing do it from the start, hmm. You may not be, entirely human, but doesn't mean the people haven't come to respect you. After what you have done in the Hinterland's, at Haven and the breach, twice, the people will respect the Inquisition more with you leading us. And we are no where near done yet, Vance."  
  
"Void take it, Josie, are you seriously suggesting I take command of all this?" he blinked out waving his arm's around.  
  
Josephine grins more dipping her head at him, "I take that as a yes then. You have been leading us whether you know it or not. You have excellent command skill's as it is."  
  
Vance pinched the bridge of his nose and barked a laugh at her when he flopped his hand's down at his side's, "Yes. I wont step down now, away from all this. I have already judged Corypheus, and no doubt there will be other's as well. And I know you've already written down my answer before I even said anything, Ambassador, so you may as well go tell the other's."  
  
"I already have, on both account's," she smile's clicking her heel's and left him there shaking his head at her.  
  
*****  
  
Joe snickered quietly at the caterpillar on Mutton's nose. The dwarf Mabari going cross eyed watching the thing slowly inch it's way up her snout to her head, where Cole put it talking quietly to both of them he had on his lap. His leg's dangled over the balustrade, Bear sitting in the middle of both him and Joe, Harding next to her with her head on Joe's shoulder giggling as well.  
  
The entire bailey and courtyard's below them where utterly silent watching the proceeding's happening on the step's. Vance was wearing black, red and blue leather clothing Harritt and Josephine got for him for Skyhold wear, and Maker, did he look bloody stunning in them. His armour was the same, just like his fade self armour Joe thought cocking her head when Leliana came out of the great hall holding a sword in her hand's. His hair was a lot shorter too, almost mimicking Orran's own from year's ago but with one long single braid down the back of his neck.  
  
Cole tapped her on the shoulder and whispered on her ear, "No longer hurts or regrets. Proud of his son. With Bethany and Carver and his mother. He's happy, Just Joe. Be happy yourself."  
  
Joe blinks her eyes, feeling her lashes get slightly damp when she smile's back at him, "Thank you Cole," she whispers, "that, means allot to me."  
  
Cole grins wide at her, his blue eyes shining from under his floppy hat, "I like helping," he tilts his head then frowns, "He's afraid to tell you he likes you. You sing like the stones, not harsh and hard. Blue like the sky, and pure. Happy and warm. Safe, proud. Never gave up, never gave in, strong and fearless."  
  
Joe frowned at Cole when he picked up Mutton from his lap holding her to his chest, letting the caterpillar crawl onto his hat. She had no idea who he was talking about then, but she wont ask when Leliana handed Vance the sword.  
  
Bear bounced on his backside on the balustrade, Harding doing the same when Vance turned to face everyone lifting the sword above his head, and then closed her eyes when he started his speech.  
  
"I will lead you all. I will bring order in this time of madness and chaos. For all of you and for my kind. We will not bow down to Corypheus. We will not bow to his Red Templars. We will not forget those who are left behind with nothing. We will help them. We will help those who ask for our aid, but I will not suffer fool's gladly. We will not live in fear, we will not judge those by their face, their ear's, their gender, their magic. We will help Hawke's Legacy grow without fear. I have judged Corypheus, I have judged the Red Templars and I will judge those who would bring harm to those who cannot help themselves. We will bring order back into this world and mine. Will you stand with me?"  
  
The entire of Skyhold erupted in cheers and shout's of yes. Everyone raised their hand's above their head's, standing with Vance, and Joe nodded her head smiling when he looked up at them on the balustrade and smiled wide at her. He said about Orran's legacy, there where two that she knows off. The one seeing all mages free, living among normals with out fear or retribution, loving, living and marrying. And Bear, who now had the caterpillar going over his finger's. Either way, she was happy Vance even mentioned it.  
  
"He's so handsome with his sandy colour hair," Harding said on her shoulder sighing out happily, "I wish I could talk to him without squealing like a little girl."  
  
"Lace, I'm sure Cullen wouldn't mind."  
  
"No, Varric," Harding blushes hiding her face, looking sideway's down at the bailey where Varric was waving his hand's about talking to Vance.  
  
Joe stifled a giggle when Harding sighed again, "Oh Makers glorious backside. Lace, go talk to him. He's not going to bite. Well, not much."  
  
"Chest hair under my finger's. Smell of leather and oil. Silver and gold glinting in the sun. I wish he would tell me a story under my covers. I wont say no. He wont either."  
  
"COLE!" Harding squeak's putting her blushing face between her hand's, "I, oh Maker, I'm never going to live this down now am I."  
  
Cole frowned under his hat, "Did I say something wrong? I was trying to help."  
  
Joe shook her head, pulling Cole, Bear and Harding in for a hug, "No Cole, you didn't. Just, maybe ask next time."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Oh Cole, your so bloody cute," Joe giggled lifting his floppy hat from his face, and kissed him on the cheek, "cute as button."  
  
Everyone fell backwards onto the rampart's behind them, giggling loudly. Mutton boofed trying to lick everyone's face's, Bear lost the caterpillar on the ground somewhere, Lace blushed even more on Joe's shoulder. And Cole, Cole just smiled wide wrapping his arm's around Joe and Bear, "I want to stay."  
  
Joe nodded her head at him when they all untangled themselves free from each other. trying to stand. Harding took Cole and Bear by the arm's guiding them to the banquet Josephine managed to pull from no-where, but Joe just stood there, holding Mutton in her arm's and sighed loudly watching everyone below. She noted Solas wasn't with the crowd earlier, and he still wasn't now. Joe shrugged when she slowly made her way down the step's, he was probably still painting the fresco. Maker, they've been here a week and he's already made the atrium his sanctum, Dorian and Feynriel commandeering the entire library with Fiona and a few other mages for research along with the other's in the tower's.  
  
Joe shook her head and snickered into Mutton's back, "This poor place has no idea what's hit it, Mutton. But it feels like home already. I wish Orran was here to see this, I really do."  
  
Mutton boofed quietly and licked Joe's chin in agreement.  
  
"Joette, may I have a word?"  
  
Joe rolled her eyes at Cassandra's voice behind her, "Go have fun, Seeker. We can talk later."  
  
"I, wanted to speak with you now. If you will."  
  
Joe turned to face Cassandra and nodded. She followed the Seeker away from everyone, back into the great hall to the war room. Joe frowned when Cassandra closed the door, then lent on it composing herself.  
  
"I miss judged you, Joette."  
  
"Cassandra, please call me Joe, I prefer it. And miss judged how?"  
  
Cassandra cocked her head, pushing away from the door and walked around to the other side of the table, "I read Varric's Tale of the Champion, but he neglected to mention a few thing's within. He told me why while I, we, held him prisoner and before we came here."  
  
Joe put Mutton's on the war table then lent on it glaring at the other woman, "I know all about you holding him prisoner, Seeker, don't think he never wrote and told me that. But he had his reason's for not mentioning a lot of thing's in the book. He also had his reason's for changing it as well. Why are you even bringing this up?"  
  
"I, did not realise you and Hawke were, engaged. I knew you had a son together, but, never knew you two where going to try and marry. I did not know you where a half-dwarf either, nor related to Alistair and Cailan Theirin. Nor, did he mention that you where also a Cadash. I miss judged you, I thought you where no better then a common thug with what you did in Kirkwall. I, regret those thought's now that I have seen you and your son. I regret even asking Varric of your past, but it made me see with open eyes, that I was wrong."  
  
Joe wrinkled her nose up and slammed her fist's on the table making Mutton jump, then pushed away from it, "You regret? Do you regret not stepping in sooner when you found out about Meredith, Elthina and their insanity? Do you fucking regret not stepping in sooner to help the mages who suffered under Meredith and her fucking Templars? Do you really regret asking Varric about my past, about how I fucking suffered under Eliam's so called care? When he raped me, beat me, caned me bloody? Who was going to step in there? No-one, that's who. Yes me and Orran where going to marry, but oh wait, it's illegal for two fucking mages to marry under chantry law! He's dead now. He's dead and there's nothing I can do about it. I want to see his Legacy grow, I want his son to grow with out fucking fear, Seeker. And you stand there and tell me you regret! Don't make me laugh."  
  
Cassandra bit her lip hard looking at Joe, her hand's trembling by her side's, but Joe put her hand up, "No, don't. Yes I'm half-dwarven, yes I'm related to both the current and past king's, but I only ever gave a damn about Alistair. My last name is Cadash-Hawke, as is my son's. And I am damned proud of it, Seeker. Now, are we done reminiscing about my shitty Maker taken past, or can we go back to the banquet where my son is."  
  
"Forgive me, I, never knew. I, should of looked harder. We, should of tried harder then what we did. I'm sorry, we failed you too," Cassandra walked around the table, then sighed when she stood in-front of Joe, "We failed so many and for what? Nothing. We should of stepped in sooner and we failed everyone. And now we have a half mortal spirit trying to right thing's where we failed at the start. Maric failed you and your brother, but I wont fail your son, Joe. None of us will."  
  
"I hope your right, Cassandra," Joe muttered putting her hand's on the other woman's shoulder's, "Because if we fail, there wont be a Thedas for anyone, and I really don't want to become my ancient golem cousin. I wont let my past haunt me any more, I have a future to live, and so do you."  
  
Cassandra smiled and nodded, putting her own hand's on Joe's shoulder's, "We will not fail. We must not fail. You are strong, Joe, stronger then most. Now come, we have a banquet to attend and Josephine is no doubt spitting fire that we are not there!"  
  
*****  
  
Cullen stood on the other side of the table impatient, Josephine was scribbling out the report so far with amendment's from Leliana. Cassandra was pacing slightly behind everyone while Vance looks at all the report's on the war table. Void shits, there where so many here from all over Orlais and Ferelden. From the missing Warden's to some rubbish about glass. He ran his hand though his short hair and huffed out a sigh when he lent down on the table at the troupe movement's that still needed to be sorted out. They where all waiting on another set of report's to come in, and for the first time, Vance was feeling very overwhelmed by the magnitude of becoming Inquisitor.  
  
The insistent knocking on the door behind him made him smile when Cassandra stalked over and pulled it open, letting Joe and Mutton in.  
  
"Bloody hell, sorry I'm late," she grinned out slamming the stack of paper's down on the map, "Had to do a round robin."  
  
"A what now" Cassandra frowned at her.  
  
"Ugh, I had to deliver one message to one person who needed a reply back from another, and so forth, a round robin. Anyway," Joe spread out the report's while he bent down to Mutton, picking up the dwarf Mabari, stroking her behind her ear's, "Here's the scout report's on Fallow Mire, Crestwood, I'm not happy about that one by the way, and Haven."  
  
"What is happening in Crestwood Joe," Vance asked her putting Mutton on the table, much to Cullen's annoyance when the dog knocked over some of his troupe movement's.  
  
"Besides the fact there's been Grey Warden sightings coming from there. Crestwood village has a massive rift problem, in the middle of the damned lake. And Caer Bronach's bandit problem has gotten worse since the breach. Anders isn't happy by the way, our farmstead's gone apparently."  
  
"Makers breath," Cullen sighs out, "I'm sorry Joe, but we have other priorities at the moment, NOT your farmstead. We need to get our men back from Fallow Mire."  
  
Vance pinched the bridge of his nose, looking at Joe's jaw tense looking at the ex-Templar and then sighed when she slammed her hand's down on the table, "I'm sorry was I speaking to you, Templar?" she spat, "I don't believe I was."  
  
"I am not a Tem-"  
  
"You will NOT speak to me, Cullen. After what you did, after what she did, you have no right to speak to me."  
  
"What I did? You lot tore Kirkwall apart! I only did what I was ordered to do!"  
  
Joe scoffed and wrinkled her face at him, "Excuses!"  
  
"Everyone just calm down, please," Leliana muttered putting her hand's on the table when Cullen went for his sword narrowing his eyes at Joe, "We can send Harding to Crestwood. If there's been Grey Warden's in the area, we need to know more. And we'll help the village as much as we can. Is that amicable, Joe?"  
  
"Yes, thank you Leliana."  
  
Vance lent on the table again, moving Leliana's scout's over Crestwood, then some of Cullen's over Fallow Mire, "We need to get our men back out of there. What do we know of this place?"  
  
"Not much to be honest, Inquisitor. Harding is there at the moment scouting the place, she will leave when you arrive so she can move onto Crestwood when the raven's sent," Cullen muttered with his hand still on his sword not looking at Joe, "I can have The Bull's group head to Haven to see if there's anyone still there, and guide them to Skyhold."  
  
"Good, get it done. We shall set off to the Mire tomorrow."  
  
Everyone nodded at him before leaving the war room. Joe was still seething next to him when he looked down at her, sorting out the report's, Mutton sitting on-top of the one marked 'Haven'. Vance sat on the edge of the table and crossed his arm's over his chest, "Sorry about the farmstead, Joe," he mutters quietly, "and I was hoping you and Cullen weren't going to argue."  
  
"Maker fuck him up the arse with his sword. I can't believe he's damned Commander of the bloody force's here, Vance," Joe wrinkle's her nose up again, "After what he did back in Kirkwall as well. I asked Cassandra if she lost her damned mind, but all she said was that he changed. Right, so why was he reaching for his sword?"  
  
"He's been with the Inquisition a lot long then I have, Joe. We had, talks, back in Haven. Trust me I was not happy to see him either, but I was not exactly one to talk after the thing's I did."  
  
"Bullshit!"  
  
Vance chuckled when she glared up at him, "Go on, get it out of your system."  
  
"Fucking cock sucking piece of shit eating cunting lyrium addicted son of a taint wank stained mother humping bloody TEMPLAR!"  
  
Vance bit his lip at her face when she looked at Mutton and glared at the dog too, "What did she do?"  
  
"Pah, nothing. Lady Mutton Chop's has never done a thing wrong in her life. She's too cute for that!"  
  
"Then why are you glaring at her?"  
   
Joe shrugged and lent on the table and started to laugh, "Other then fact she's sitting on the Haven report. I have no idea. Ugh," Joe runs her hand through her hair then pushes away from the table before hopping up to sit on it, "I'm a little frustrated that's all, in every bloody sense."  
  
Vance nodded his head and put his arm around Joe's shoulder squeezing it slightly, "I know what you mean. I am, feeling very overwhelmed with everything. And I have only been Inquisitor for not very long. But I am glad your here to see me straight."  
  
"Oh, I don't know about that. But I'll do my best while I'm here, Vance," Joe chuckled at him resting her head on his hand on her shoulder, "What a load of nug ball's this entire thing is. Just get some semblance of peace and BOOM, the world goes back into a cluster-fuck."  
  
"We will deal with it all. Will you be coming with me to the Mire? I, would like you to come, if you want to that is," was he really stumbling over his word's? Vance kicked himself internally at it when he looked back down at Joe, and realised his thumb was brushing the back of her neck. He quickly took his hand away from her and crossed it over his chest with his other arm.  
  
"Sure, I've always wanted to go to some bog. Bear will be coming for his on-site training, Mutton will be staying behind with Anders. Maker, my ear's still hurt from all that sodding squealing he did."  
  
"I will bring Barris, Varric and Cole with us."  
  
Joe grinned up at him then lent on his arm, and he wanted to sigh out feeling her on him again but bit his lip instead.


	9. Chapter 9

The Mire, was wet. No, more then wet, everything sopped with the rain that constantly fell from the sky, soaking through clothing, seeping into the core of everyone. All except Joe and Bear who grinned wide while walking hand in hand down the utterly muddy path. Barris wore Cole's hat on his head and looked as miserable as Varric walking behind everyone. Cole was darting about excitedly looking at everything, even spinning in circle's under the ever pouring rain making Bear giggle at him. Himself on the other hand just shrugged it off as much as Joe and Bear, running a hand though his soaking wet hair, the droplet's rolling down his face.  
  
The rain didn't bother him, the cold never really bothered him, it was that his body was damaged going through the mountain pass that hurt him the most. But the cold, the rain, no, Vance seemed to love it, let it wash over him. He breathed in deeply, inhaling the smell of wet mud and cold through his nose and sighed when he breathed out. He was mortal once, even if some of it was hazy for him, forgotten over time for his lust for Vengeance, but subtle thing's nudged his memories like the smell of rain on wet mud. An image of exceptionally large tree's went through his mind, and cold, a lot of bloody cold.   
  
Vance shook his head and smirked slightly when the Inquisition camp came into view. Harding had her hand's behind her back, soaking wet herself but smiled wide at them all when she slowly made her way over to them.  
  
"Welcome, to the Fallow Mire," she tipped her head then giggled when Bear grabbed her hand, "and there's my cutie pie. Wet enough for you yet?"  
  
Bear giggled shaking his flaxen hair everywhere, "Not yet."  
  
"Good, because your all going to get a lot wetter. There seems to have been a bit of a plague here, walking bloated corpses keep coming up and out of the water around here, so don't go into it. And, as for who have out men, well-" Harding looked up at Vance and sighed out.  
  
"Lace? Who has our men and are they alright?" he asks her tilting his head.  
  
"The, Avvar, have them. And their leader had issued you a challenge. He wants to fight you, but," Harding bites her lip before continuing, "he thinks the Herald, is Joe."  
  
"Oh for the love of- seriously! Why me?"  
  
Harding wrapped her arm around Bear's shoulder and shakes her head, "Herald of Andraste, they assumed that it's going to be a she. Oh are they going to have a surprise when Vance goes though the camp."  
  
"Idiot boy, fighting always fighting, why does the sky not tell me?" Cole mutters next to Vance, "The bird's, the sky, cloud's shaped and twist. She tells me nothing. Why has she forsaken me?"  
  
"Who is saying that Cole?" Vance asked the smaller spirit.  
  
"A sky-watcher. He's trying to help, but he thinks she's ignoring him," Cole point's down the way, "Standing, waiting, watching, the sign's are there. Why does she not answer me?"  
  
"We will find and help him. But I believe first, we shall rest a while, and help Barris and Varric with, head wear."  
  
Varric and Barris sighed in relief going into the camp proper, Joe rolled her eyes at Harding when she snickered on her arm, Vance frowned at that but ignored it when Bear tugged on his finger's, "I've never seen an Avvar. Do you think we can help the Sky-Watcher?"  
  
"I believe we can, Bear. I have yet to see an Avvar myself, we shall see them together," he smiled down at the boy before picking him up, "And remember, we must stay out of the water, if there is a plague here, we do not need to be spreading it around. Though, maybe we should see if we can find a body and see what kind of plague it is."  
  
"Mama said I should practise my healing, so did uncle Anders."  
  
Vance nodded and smiled at the boy again, he was eager to see these Avvar for himself, seeing as several people have remarked on how similar he was to one. Why doesn't he remember who killed him other then, the other's? He shook his head again, ducking his head under the cover the camp was under, tucked inside a cave. Torches lined the wall's, several tent's lined about the place, a campfire and cooking equipment in the middle as well as several crate's from Skyhold that got delivered here well before they arrived.  
  
Barris and Varric where busy going through said crate's and both crowed at the same time pulling out better gear for all, including head wear to keep the rain off. Cole got his floppy hat back from Barris, then went back to flitting and darting about everywhere. Joe wrinkled her nose up at the tent and heaved a sigh as he came over, putting Bear down, "Why is there a plague here? Seems to be an odd place to have one, and where's the villager's who live here? Makers ball's."  
  
"Mama, later, can we go see the water? Maybe I can see what happened here."  
  
Joe smiled and nodded at her son, "That, was going to be my next thing, little healer. We can see if we can't find a body to see what happened here."  
  
"Without waking up the rest within the water," Vance rumbled out running his hand through his wet hair down to the single braid going down his neck, "Eat first, corpse prodding later."  
  
Bear snorted a laugh going into the shared tent with his mother and himself, apparently, then popped his head back out, "Lot's of fur, and roomy" he grinned going back in.  
  
"Oh Maker have mercy, he's turning more into his father every day. I swear," Joe snicker's nudging his arm, "Come on, Oh Inspiritor, let's check this, furry roomy tent."  
  
"What did you just call me?" Vance chuckled ducking to get in the tent, then grinned at the pile's of fur's everywhere.  
  
"Inspiritor. I made it up. Well, this, is definitely roomy that's for sure! Holt shi-sugar, there's even a divide in here!"  
  
"Mama, I know all the swears. And one's uncle Fenris does. Fasta Vass, Vishante Kaffas, Venhedis," Bear giggles flopping down on what will now be his bed, "I am almost six, I can swear!"  
  
"No you bl- Oh for- I'm going to kick Fenris up the arse so hard when I see him! Ugh, yup, definitely your father's son, Bear."  
  
Vance put his hand over his mouth when he sat down at the table and desk they put in the huge tent. Bear, was definitely taking after Orran, with the attitude and magic. But he was his mother's son too, kindness in his heart. Vance looked sideway's at Joe tapping her foot on the ground looking at her son sticking his tongue out at her, and felt his face blush when he looked away. The feeling's, had no abated in the least since truly seeing her in the fade. In fact he was most certain this was nothing to do with Justice at all. This was on all him, when he picks up the first missive about the Mire, it was all him when he bit his lip trying to read it while Joe was snickering with her son on the fur's. Void take it all.  
  
And she called him Inspiritor, he tried not to grin at that, but couldn't help it when he put the missive he was trying to read down, and bit his lip again. He's been avoiding asking her what he wanted to ask her back in Haven before everything exploded around them with Corypheus. And with now being the Inspiritor, he chuckled to himself, he may never get the chance again with so much needing to be done.  
  
Vance sighed out miserably running his hand through his hair again, which has now started to become a habit, and stood from the desk to leave the tent for food.  
  
*****  
  
There was no plague. There were just dead thrown into the water, left to rot and got taken over by wisp's being pulled through. This, was unjust when they dispatched another set of bloated undead coming at them. Cole was flailing his hand's about trying to calm the angry wisp's that got unjustly stuck within the bloated bodies, but to no success. Vance wrinkled his nose up at another set of pit's filled with bodies and sighed out through his nose, rain dripping from his wet hair onto the ground below.  
  
"Who ever did this will pay," he muttered looking out over the Mire, "Do you suppose it was the Avvar?"  
  
"Nope, definitely not. Work of some stupid poxy mage who's lost their damned mind," Joe shows them all a journal she found next to a bench, "One Widris, who's been making multiple deals with demon's. A lot of them apparently. Bloody hell, they've bound them to some beacon's as well for protection! We have to find them and kill them!"  
  
Vance narrowed his eyes looking out over the Mire again, something was tugging at him, but it wasn't the tear's, it wasn't the twisted, it was something else tugging at him. He moved off, letting everyone to catch up with him.  
  
Joe ran up after him, then ran ahead of him the book still in her hand, Void was she fast when she ran further ahead of everyone.  
  
"Found a beacon," Joe shouted from ahead of them, "Bear, I need you. Veilfire."  
  
Vance looked down at Bear, the boy grinned at him, then picked him up and bounded up the slope, Barris and Varric jogging to keep up with them. Cole, was no-where to be seen. Joe was the only mage within the group at Skyhold that couldn't light veilfire, but she was the only one able to lift broken piece's to rebuild bridge's or walkway's. Joe motioned with her hand to the veilfire stand, and Vance walked over to it with Bear still in his arm's.  
  
"Joe," he mutters putting Bear down with the lit torch, "There's Terror's around. Be ready."  
  
"Shit. Bear, get ready."  
  
"Barris, Varric, prepare for an attack by demon's and the undead," Vance pulled his sword from from his back.  
  
"Well that's just sodding great," Varric moaned taking Bianca from his back and looked for high ground.  
  
"I will be able to stun them with a smite. Just, you two remain out the way."  
  
Joe and Bear nodded, then Beat lit the rune on the other side. The Terror's erupted from the ground around them, screeching as they swiped at everyone. Vance felt the tug of Bear's magic, calling upon Love and Learning to bolster his bubble he put around himself and Joe, then felt the healing aura come from the boy.  
  
Barris banged on his shield drawing the Terror's that started to cower due to Vance's presence, away from everyone along with the bloated dead that crept up from the water. Varric aimed Bianca and let her loose at the one's not following the Templar. Cole sprung up beside Joe and Vance heaved a sigh when he pulled his dagger's out, slipping into the shadow's again, taking out the dead behind them with Joe and her lyrium lined bow.  
  
He felt the smite hit the one's around Barris and nodded at the man before charging down the slope, letting his momentum carry the sword swing into the Terror stunned on the ground. He swung out when it lifted it's head and severed it from it's body. The tug pulled at him again, but he had to ignore it when he took out another's head and shoulder when he sliced down.  
  
Several bolt's of fire and spirit arrow's flew past him into the bloated dead, exploding them everywhere from within.  
  
"The god's favor you," a voice rang out behind him, but he ignored it when he struck down several dead with one swing.  
  
"Maybe," Joe snickered at the voice, "Are you just going to stand and watch?"  
  
"I want to watch him fight, child of Korth."  
  
Vance froze in place when he heard the name, then shook his head and sneered his lip when a Greater Terror came out the ground, knocking Barris flat on his back. Lucky for the Templar he had a tall shield when it started clawing at him, and Vance sneered his lip more when it started to cower when he grabbed it by it's neck and threw it off the man. The Terror roared in rage at him, cowering or no, then tried to go underground. Vance shoved his sword through the Greaters mouth when it looked up halfway through going underground and started to flail when he lifted his sword up to pull it out.  
  
Another wave of arrow's flew past him into the Terror's belly when he pulled his sword free and smiled when it died then faded away. The beacon behind them flickered, then sighed out when it lit with blue fire, and sent out a wave across the water, killing the dead around them.  
  
"Aye, the lady favour's you, brother."  
  
Vance frowned when he looked over his shoulder and froze again at the man standing next to Joe, resting on a huge maul covered from head to toe in mud, paint and fur's. Another memory went through him when he walks up the slope slowly, one he doesn't quiet remember and re-sheathes his sword, "And who are you?"  
  
"It must be sometime since you've been back, brother. Sky-Watcher Amund," the man nodded to him, "I've been watching the sky, the bird's for sign's and she sent me several it seem's."  
  
"Why are you calling me brother?" Vance asked tilting his head when he stood in-front of Amund, and then he noticed the height, they where exactly the same height except he was bulkier then Amund.  
  
"It's what you are. You've come back from the Land of the Dream's to aid in healing the world. I know a brother anywhere."  
  
Vance blinked several time's then shook his head, "I do not remember. Are, you sure?"  
  
"Aye, the lady never lies. She sent me to watch, and I watched and waited but she never replied. I thought I did something wrong, but here you are."  
  
"I KNEW IT," Varric shouted behind them taking out a book and started writing in it, "Gigantor's an Avvar!"  
  
"Why do I not remember other then I was killed and I wanted Vengeance on the other's and became-"  
  
"One of our god's. Aye, been sometime then, brother."  
  
Vance watched Joe put her hand over her mouth looking up at him them at Amund then back at him, "Maker and Ancestor's. Now it all makes sense! I mean, I've never seen an Avvar before, but look at both of you, your the same height, holy shit-" Joe barked out a laugh and nudged his arm, "Your an Avvar. It makes sense!"  
  
"Aye, was and is a brother. I would say come see the Augur, but the fool is dead along with the rest of them. Only the idiot calling himself the Hand of Korth and his idiot hold remain. There the one's holding your men, by the way. They fought well, took out more of us then we did of them. Someone trained them well."  
  
Vance shook his head. This, was just as overwhelming as being the Inquisitor. He was an Avvar, he is an Avvar. Vance shook his head again and ran his hand through his hair and huffed out a sigh, "If what you say is true, then, perhaps we can speak more after we rescue our men. You are not angry?"  
  
"Pah, he's an idiot. I'd rather watch and wait for sign's then to help the fool battle his idiot idea's. Be no skin of my hide if he dies."  
  
"Then, would you be willing to join the Inquisition, Sky-Watcher?" Joe asked Amund.  
  
The man grinned down at her and Bear, picking up his great maul in one hand resting it on his shoulder, "Aye. Be better then this pile of dung. The lady saw fit to send you, and I'll follow, brother and children of Korth. I'll go to your camp and let your men know I'm there as friend."  
  
"I shall go with you. My shield," Barris sighs looking down at the battered thing in his hand, "well, I need a new one."  
  
"Lead the way, mage-killer."  
  
Barris balked slightly then swallowed, motioning with his head for Amund to follow. Varric was still writing in his book when he walked over, Bear and Cole where sitting on some sodden straw bail's in awe looking at Amund then back at Vance.  
  
"Well I'm utterly floored, Vance," Joe grinned up at him, "Former Avvar, former spirit, now half mortal and the Inspiritor. Pleasure to meet one such as yourself."  
  
"Shut up," Vance chuckled nudging her shoulder with his hand when she bowed in a flourish, "I'm still me, whatever that maybe. Void, I think I need to lay down after this."  
  
*****  
  
Vance sent off some of the scout's with Barris and Amund to find Widris, when Amund expressed his distaste in the mage Widris shackling the god's and twisting them against what they are. Vance readily agreed of course. Varric stayed behind in the camp with the rest of the scout's, while Vance, Joe and Bear went to find the missing Inquisition men and to deal with the Hand of Korth.  
  
The three of them stood before the ruined castle and Bear sighed next to Joe, "How are we going to get past them?" he pointed at the mass of bloated dead milling about in-front of the portcullis.  
  
"Spirit, fire and the Makers fist, Bear. Or, we could run like buggery past them and slam the portcullis down, either way work's," Joe snickered at Bear wrinkling his nose up.  
  
Vance pulled his sword free from his back then rested an elbow on it, putting his chin in his hand looking at the undead milling about, "I think we should kill them. Give them the mercy they need, then we can run like buggery before that lot slam the portcullis down on us, keeping us out."  
  
"Deal!" Bear grinned up at him making Joe snort and roll her eyes, "Need, bubble first and healing. Then I can slam 'em to the ground," the child was exceptionally talented already with Learning as a full guide with Hope on the edge.  
  
"Father's son," Joe muttered under breath taking her bow from her back, "Okay, I'm ready."  
  
Vance nodded his head at them and pulled on his spirit warrior half and grinned wide when the dead where pulled onto the ground. He bounded forward raising his sword over his head and swung out decapitating almost half the undead before Joe could do anything. He could hear Joe behind him cursing up a storm when spirit arrow's flew past his head, and grinned more when Bear shouted, 'Bollocks.'  
  
He swung out again, but missed on purpose when he made a run for the portcullis as it started to lower. He glared up at the Avvar running down a set of step's at him then back at Joe and Bear, who where darting past the bloated dead then into the courtyard. Vance grit his teeth and ducked under the portcullis before it could slam into the ground, and swung out with his sword again, slicing through the stomach of an Avvar trying to get at him.  
  
He felt Bear's healing aura wash over him again and sneered his lip decapitating another Avvar and then another. They where moving up the step's and into a bailey, more Avvar storming down to meet them half way.  
  
"AHhhh a brother has returned to us," a deep voice rang out from somewhere in the ruined castle, "And that must be the Herald of Andraste. She's not what I expected."  
  
Vance laughed loud lowering his sword and picking up his other hand to show the green flicking within his palm, then let his spirit self take over more when dark blue and light blue cracks went over his skin, "That is because I am the Herald, Hand of Korth."  
  
"I'm not fighting a god," one of the Avvar shouted out throwing his weapon down.  
  
"Neither am I."  
  
"Hakkon's tear's, I wont fight him."  
  
"COWARD'S! THE LOT OF YOU! If you wont I will. God or no, Korth will reward me!" the deep voice shouted when the other's backed out the ruined castle. A man walked down the step's, a great axe slung over on shoulder and pointed his free hand at Vance, "You maybe a brother, you maybe a former god, but I challenge you, Herald. I challenge you in the name of Korth."  
  
Vance sneered his lip and nodded sharply at the man, lowering his fade piece hand and lifted the other to point his sword at the other Avvar, "Then I accept, if only to free the men you imprisoned. I have judged you and found you unworthy, Hand of Korth."  
  
The other man roared and charged at him, swinging out his axe at Vance, to which he dodged and rolled out the way, kicking the other man's leg's out from under him. Memories started to trickle his mind again when he slammed his sword down into the ground sending a shock wave at the Hand of Korth, knocking him off his feet again. Memories of being challenged before. He swung his sword out when the man charged at him, his axe high above his head, and caught it with his sword when it came down. He challenged the other's who deemed him unworthy when   
he kicked the other man out the way with his foot, deemed him unworthy of joining their hold.  
  
He's not supposed to remember when he slice's down into the man's shoulder, severing his arm from his body. He's not supposed to remember his life before, when he decapitates the man, pushing his body over with his boot. He wasn't supposed to remember the date either, but he does when he stands there over the dead man and dropped his sword on him, picking up the axe instead. He told Joe the date he died, the date the other's killed him, and he now knows why.  
  
He was killed because he beat them all, he beat them all to join their hold and they turned on him one night, they all did and killed him. They turned on him because he beat them, and left him in a ditch. He wanted Vengeance on them all and became what he was.  
  
"I-" he whispers sheathing the axe on his back, "I remember."  
  
*****  
  
Vance laid on the fur's looking up at the beam above him, unable to sleep. his mind was swimming over the past two day's with what was said and found out. He was an former Avvar, who was murdered unjustly because he beat the hold he wanted to be at. He and Amund spoke quiet a bit when he to back to camp, he told the other Avvar he remembers what happened to him, even though he's not supposed to, told him everything that he remembers. He still had no idea what hold yet, but one enough to warrant killing one such as himself. Amund mentioned to him he should find an Augur to talk to, to ask the other god's for guidance, but he had no idea how to even start any of that.  
  
He'd ask Josephine if there where any Avvar willing to talk to him when he gets back to Skyhold with everyone. And thank the void the Inquisition men and women where still alive, a little hungry and tired, but alive.  
  
Vance looked over to his right, Bear was tucked under his pile of fur's and smiled at it. Joe on the other hand was just was awake as he was with her nose pressed into a book with her wisp out for light.  
  
"Should you not be sleeping," he muttered making her and her wisp jump.  
  
"I will do after this," she muttered back rolling onto her side with her book, "Reading up on the thing's I copied from the book's we found in the Thaig year's back."  
  
Vance frowned and rolled onto his side as well to face her, "Why are you re-reading them, Joe?"  
  
"Child of Korth, IE Dwarves. Because dwarves live in the mountain's and had good relation's with the Avvar, like very good relation's. Helped the build Kinloch, Vigil's keep, among a lot of other place's," Joe closed her book and looked at him, "Must be a lot to take in."  
  
Vance nodded his head and smiled at her, "Same as well for you. Two half being's still learning about what we are. It is, overwhelming, but I can deal with it."  
  
"I'm waiting for you to call me mortal again, Vance," Joe quietly chuckled at him, "Sorry Inspiritor."  
  
"Oh, you wish for me to call you that? Then I shall," Vance grinned and inched forward to her face, "My mortal."  
  
Joe blushed profusely when he grinned wide at her, then ducked her head under her fur's and whispered, "Oh maker."  
  
"Why do you hide, mortal, there is nothing to be ashamed of."  
  
"Because your making me blush. Ancestor's have mercy."  
  
Vance chuckled pulling the fur's from her face, "Go to sleep Joe. We have a long way back home. To Skyhold, I mean." He wanted to kick himself hard, he could of reached over and took her face in his hand and do what he wanted to do back in Haven. Why was he even stalling? No, because he was afraid of hurting her, that's what. He didn't want to let Orran down by doing this, so he wont when he lays on his back to stare up at the beam again.


	10. Chapter 10

The Herald's Rest was humming with activity around her. Sera was busy lobbing stale cheese from the second floor into Mutton's mouth, mostly. Blackwall cackling away and slapping his thigh listening to Varric spin yet another yarn. Cole was sitting next to her with Bear on his lap, talking quietly to each other. Anders and Fenris was busy canoodling at the other end of the table, making Joe sigh slightly watching them. Iron Bull was eyeing her from the other side of the room, but Joe ignored it when she looked out the window into the darkened night outside.  
  
She ran her thumb over the rim of her huge mug of mead that she's been nursing most of the night, she just didn't feel like drinking at all when she sighed out again, still looking at the night beyond the window. Joe needed time alone, she needed time alone to think, to listen and to seek some sort of bloody answer. Maker and Ancestor's, she needed something.  
  
"Cole, may I ask you a favour?"  
  
Cole looked back her and smiled while nodding, he already knew when he waved his hand at her to go. Joe smiled and nodded at him too, kissing his cheek then Bear's. She quickly looked at Anders and Fenris getting, a lot more friendly with each other at the other end of the table, and looked at Varric motioning to them with her head. Varric nodded and so did Blackwall.  
  
Joe left them all in the tavern, and walked out into the upper courtyard with a destination in mind, and headed towards the large garden's. She liked it there, with it's gazebo and herb nursery, the flower's the tree's, it would be quiet and empty this time of night.  
  
Joe pushed the door to the garden's open and smiled slightly when she walked through the covered archway's into the garden proper. The heady smell of flower's and herb's hitting her nose, the cool breeze from the mountain's around them ruffling her hair a little, and Joe made her way to the gazebo. But, she wasn't the only one who came into the garden's when she sat down at the bench, the Iron Bull made his way slowly over to her.  
  
Joe didn't look at him when he sat down on the bench next to her, his elbow's resting on his knee's when he looked at her, and Joe sighed out looking back at him.  
  
"Can I help you with something?"  
  
"So, Joe, what do you know?"  
  
"Ugh, seriously? Did you really just say that," she exasperated out at the Qunari.  
  
The Iron Bull smirked at her nodding his head, "Yup."  
  
Joe narrowed her eyes at him then flung her hand's up in the air, "Go on, say it. I know you want to."  
  
Bull smirked even more sitting back on the bench properly, crossing one leg on-top of the other, "Oh Joe, oh Joe, how you make everything grow. A simple touch, a beaming smile, oh Joe, oh Joe, you make me wanna grow."  
  
"Makers bloody ball's, I hate you so much right now," Joe laughed at him, "Your, just, depraved you know that right!"  
  
"Never had any complaint's," Bull smirked at her then winked, "everyone wants to ride the Bull."  
  
"Yeah, no thanks."  
  
"Nawwww, and here I am doing shitty poem's just for you, Kadan!"  
  
Joe wrinkled her nose up at him the barked a laugh flinging her hand's up more to the sky, "That's not what I mean, you sodding bloody arsehole, and you know it. How Krem puts up with you, I have no idea."  
  
Bull laughed hard, throwing his head back then stopped looking serious back at Joe, leaning his elbow's on his knee's again looking her dead in the eyes, "He's pining after you."  
  
"What in Varric's sodding chest hair's are you on about now, Bull?"  
  
Bull rose from the bench and dipped his head at her and walked away. Maker take the bloody Qunari.  
  
Joe wrinkled her nose up and crossed her arm's over her chest like a child would, and stomped her foot on the ground. She just wanted some alone time, and now this. Joe rolled her eyes and let her arm's flop into her lap, fuck what he said, she needed to listen to the fortress around her.  
  
She let her eyes slip closed and breathed in through her nose, and let it out slowly through her mouth, letting the old magic seeping into her. She breathed in a again, letting the heady scent of the garden fill her sense's too, feeling the stones around her sigh out when she breathes out. She can feel herself pull away, her bone's vibrating like bell's when the stones tug at her. Her head lowered onto her chest, when the blue flows over her like water, flowing from her into the stones and magic around her. The fortress, is far older then she thought when it sighs allowing her in. Dwarves, Elves and Avvar tread this place once, leaving their mark's upon it, but so did something else, something far far older almost familiar-  
  
Joe's eyes snap open when she felt the heavy tug of the fade rush over her and looked up, then blinked several time's when she looks at an intact Haven in-front of her. No, no, Haven was gone, why was she looking at it with perfect clarity now as if it still stood? Snow and tent's where still around, even people talking, but there wasn't a soul when she rose from the wall next to Varric's old tent.  
  
Joe furrowed her brow when she felt Solas' magic nearby, and-  
  
She ducked behind the cabin when she spotted the glowing Vance talking to Solas in-front of the chantry. Solas put his hand up, the fade flickered briefly when he grabbed Vance's hand, and then settled back to normal.  
  
Joe blinked several time's looking at Solas, there was an echo of something else over him for a split second, and then, she flinched when he was standing in-front of her with his hand's behind his back cocking his head.  
  
"Isana, no need to hide," Solas smirked out, not unlike a wolf when the smirk got wider, "join us."  
  
Joe blinked several time's when Solas was standing next to Vance again, still talking. What the fuck was going on?  
  
She stepped out from behind the cabin and slowly made her way over to them. Solas tilted his head looking past Vance, and Vance looked behind himself, and Joe watched his eyes go wide when she walks up to them.  
  
"Joe? What are you doing here?"  
  
"I, seem to have-" Joe lowered her head and scuffed the ground, "Not my intention when I was- never mind."  
  
"Isana, it's fine. I think I pulled you in by accident while you where sleeping."  
  
Joe huffed out in annoyance when she looked at him then up at Vance who had his eyes narrowed at Solas, "I was meditating actually, in the garden's, not sleeping."  
  
"Is everything alright, Joe?" Vance asked her, and Maker take her if she didn't blush slightly looking away over intact Haven.  
  
"Yeah fine," Joe muttered scuffing the ground again, "I was trying to listen to Skyhold, and, well, here I am."  
  
"Isana, why where you listening to the stones in Skyhold? What are they telling you?" Solas glared at her, she could see his shoulder go tense looking at her.  
  
"Other then very old magic that's been touched by a lot of other people? Not much. Just soothing letting my mana flow between the stone's of the place," Joe smirked looking at him, "But none the less. I, really should wake up and leave you two to it."  
  
Vance put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it slightly before letting go. Solas, she noted before she awoke her self, slipped his eyes closed looking away at the affection, and Joe wondered why when her eyes opened looking into the garden's.  
  
*****  
  
Joe and Mutton ran down the stair's from the rookery to outside. Dorian and Feynriel, where once again, going through the library and it's dreadful selection of book's. Joe agreed with them both there needed to be better selection's then chantry crap, and so she put in several requests to Josephine for better selection's. And now, she had several more report's to put on the war table when she gets there with Mutton.  
  
Joe darted past the new contingent of Orlesian nobles flocking into the great hall, and rolled her eyes at the fashion they where supposedly wearing. She wanted to vomit when she walked past Josephine's empty chair. A box of chocolate's and a bunch of flower's were on her desk and Joe sighed looking at them when she pushed open the door to the war room. She never had any of that with Orran, not that she minded, but Maker she wished someone would just give her something nice for a change. Joe thumbed Orran's ring and shook her head putting the report's down on the table.  
  
Mutton boofed on the floor at her and she smirked down at her dog, "Nah ah, if I put you up here and Cullen sees, well, I'll just laugh and stick my finger's up at him as usual."  
  
"As always."  
  
Joe flinched holding the report on the 'Exalted Plains' and put it down slowly when the door to the war room shut. She looked up briefly at Cullen who had his back to her, one hand planted on the door, and she heard him sigh out quietly.  
  
"Look, Joe, we need to talk."  
  
"No, we really really don't, Cullen," Joe muttered angrily sorting the report's out more, Mutton's ear's laying flat on her head when Cullen moves away from the door.  
  
"Yes, we do," he murmured putting his hand on the back of his neck, then sighed out again, "I'm sorry, okay. I never saw Meredith's madness until it was too late. I just followed order's like any other Templar should."  
  
Joe breathed in slowly when he started to move further towards the table, her skin goose-fleshing, "Cullen, you can make excuse after excuse. But you did storm our home time after time, getting Orran to do your dirty work like a fucking lap dog. You threatened me, what, four time's, when you came into OUR HOME! So don't you dare stand there and tell me that was all her when you where they one doing it Cullen!"  
  
"I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TOO!" he shouted back at her, slamming his fist's on the table, "I had order's and I had to follow them. But I wasn't the one who blew up the chantry, who blew up the statue on the dock's, who killed Elthina!"  
  
"Elthina was a murderer, Cullen! Do you know how many people she killed for Meredith? I would say go ask her, but she's been hung for treason against the chantry, against the crown, and against the people of Kirkwall. Blowing up the fucking chantry was nothing compared to what Meredith and Elthina did."  
  
Cullen blinked several time's stepping back from the table, taking his hand from his sword then shook his head, "No, she was- she- treason?"  
  
Joe picked up Mutton from the floor and put her on the table, then lent on it looking at him, "Cullen, how long have you stopped take lyrium?"  
  
"I, how do you know that?" he muttered leaning against the wall then slumped his shoulder's looking sideway's at her, "Since before joining the Inquisition."  
  
"I know because I can't feel the strong tang on you. Your confused," Joe said quietly stroking Mutton's head, "and in pain. Have you asked Anders for help?"  
  
Cullen shook his head then lowered it, "No, I haven't. In truth I still don't trust mages, and that's unworthy of me. I, didn't want to come here to argue with you Joe. I came to say sorry, and I regret what I did back in Kirkwall. And sorry for Hawke's death. He, stopped Meredith when we had no idea how too. Maker, I tried, believe me I tried when she started acting mad, but she was our superior and what she said we had to follow."  
  
Joe sighed out through her nose when she pinched the bridge of it, thumbing her ring on the other hand, "Go see Anders, Cullen. Bear will be with him too, maybe they can help with the pain and the, with-drawl. Their not going to hurt you, okay. Anders may yell at you as well though, considering you both know each other from Kinloch. But what's done is done, Cullen. There is no point in digging up the past we can't do anything about any more. I can't bring Orran back. We can't bring the mages nor Templars who perished back. All we have is the   
future, and Maker fuck everything I don't want to become a golem!"  
  
"I... thank you. I will go see Anders and your son," Cullen smiled softly at her nodding his head, "And your right, there is not point digging the past up. Forgive me."  
  
"Maker, just go see them before I start crying or something," Joe chuckled a little moving the report's around in the table, "because I'm never going to get this done before Josephine comes in here later."  
  
The door open then closed while she started stacking the report's in order, then on the location's on the map. Mutton yipped from the table at her, then rolled on her back when the door opened and closed again.  
  
"There you are," Vance chuckled behind her, "Was wondering where you got too."  
  
"Mmm Hmm, so you didn't have an ear pressed against the door to listen?" Joe muttered at him when he lent on the table next to her, "Or where you talking about Mutton?"  
  
"Void, you caught me," he chuckled again nudging her arm with is hand, "I came here for Mutton."  
  
Joe looked up at him with her nose wrinkled then snickered shaking her head, "Why am I not surprised. Everyone wants my itty bitty dog, and not me," Joe put her hand on her heart.  
  
"I would not say that," Vance murmured looking out the window and Joe noted his hand's gripping the edge of the table in a white knuckle grip, then jumped when he cleared his throat still looking out the window, "Leliana's scout's are still in Crestwood searching for the Warden's there. And keeping an eye on Caer Bronach. The rift hasn't spewed out anything in some time, so-"  
  
Joe lent on the table next to him, "It's fine. I can wait to go back. There's plenty of other report's to go through," Joe reached behind her picking one up, "Emerald Grave's has an interesting one. There's also Emprise Du Lion, Exalted Plains, and the Storm Coast still ha-"  
  
Vance put his hand on hers taking the report away shaking his head while he chucked it behind him, "We're going to the Storm Coast to deal with some Red Templars there, and a dragon. Bull has expressed his desires to join us in dragon killing, and so has Bear. So that means you are coming as well as Cassandra and Blackwall. There were sightings of Warden's there as well. It maybe your brother, Joe."  
  
"Maker, did you really just throw that!" Joe glared at him then felt her cheek's flush when he smirked at her, "Ancestor's take you, Avvar!"  
  
"Oh, name calling now," he grins pushing away from the table, "Dwarf."  
  
"Fuck you, spirit!"  
  
"Maybe," he grins even more holding Mutton against his chest, "my mortal mage."  
  
Joe's lip's part when she feels the blush go from her cheek's down to her neck, and turns her back on him when she bites her bottom lip, "Damn you to the pit and back, Inspiritor!"  
  
She felt him move closer behind her, and blushed ten time's more when he whispered, "I like it when you call me that."  
  
"I'm going to die, this is what this is. I'm going to die. The half mortal spirit Avvar is stealing my dog from me, Bear is going to throw Bull at the dragon and my idiot brother is having a very long picnic on the beach with Aeden. I just know it!"  
  
"Perhaps. We shall find out and see, will we not," he chuckles still very much close behind her, "So get yourself packed, we leave tomorrow. But first I have a meeting and judgement's to deal with."  
  
*****  
  
Varric and Joe sat in the great hall waiting for the several judgement's to pass, while they sort of his Merchant Guild letter's and notice's, throwing one's unimportant into the fire next to them. Joe narrowed her eyes at one with the name Bianca Davri written on it, and pushed it over to Varric, it looked too important to throw in the fire.  
  
Joe watched Varric's eyes widen before slipping the letter into one of the pocket's of his duster then looked at her, "You didn't see that, alright, Bard."  
  
"I saw nothing. Just like I'm not seeing these letter's that I accidentally threw into the fire either."  
  
"That's my Bard," Varric grinned at her.  
  
Joe snickered going through more letter's then heaved out a long suffering sigh at the one's from Prince Vael among them, "Seriously, he's still writing to you Varric? I thought we told Sebastian to piss off."  
  
"After Kirkwall, he's determined to find Anders and, as I quote, 'Bring him to Justice, for what he did.' I told him we all did it, but he doesn't believe me."  
  
Joe pulled a piece of parchment over to her self, and pulled her nibbed pen then flicked her wrist, "Oh, he'll listen to me. One Joette Cadash-Hawke, formally Theirin letter coming up. With some very colourful word's and phrases that'll make even the worst pirate blush like a babe."  
  
"Bard, I love it when you get all conniving," Varric snickered again throwing more letter's into the fire, "Just like the old day's, huh."  
  
"Yeah," Joe giggles flicking her wrist again, "I'm still running about, delivering message's and report's," Joe sighed resting her chin in her hand, "definitely like the old day's. Maker, I missed it something rotten."  
  
Varric softened his gaze at her, and nodded his head rubbing her arm, "I know Bard. So," Varric wiped his face and looked into the fire, "Bear's doing well here. He seems to be really taken with the Kid, and Gigantor."  
  
"Cole is cute as a sodding button, Varric. Maker, I want to adopt him so bad," Joe snicker's then puts down her pen, "and Bear, yeah, he really likes Vance. Varric, can I ask your advice on something?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"It's, well, it's been well over four year's now, and-" Joe sighed putting her head on the table, "and I think I like someone, else. Not the one's Anders keeps trying to dump on me, I mean, someone- shit."  
  
"And you want my advice on if you should? Bard, only you can decide if you want to pursue another relationship. Hawke would want you to be happy."  
  
Joe wrinkled her brow and looked up at him, "That's the thing, would he be happy if I, with- Varric I have no idea, it's, odd right now."  
  
Josephine cut of any reply Varric was going to make when she announced the judgement's would be taking place now, and for all to be silent. Joe furrowed her brow picking up her pen again, and flicked her wrist. She could see Varric bite his lip while he looked back into the fire. Everyone wants her to be happy again, but she didn't know if she should.  
  
"The first judgement will be Magister Alexius Gereon, formally of Minrathous. Please bring him forward."  
  
Joe put down her pen and pushed away the parchment to watch the judgement. He should hang for what he did, but he didn't actually do anything, yet. That future will never come to pass, not any more. She watched Vance sit down on the huge throne, sitting back then spreading out in it in dominance. She watched him rest his head in one hand the other thrumming on the arm of the dragon head throne in annoyance at the Magister before him. And Joe blushed watching him when he lent forward to the former Magister pointing a hand at him, passing his judgement handing Alexius over to the mages to become a researcher on magic. Oh Dorian will be happy he didn't hang.  
  
She hoped Varric didn't see her blush when she quickly looked back at him, but he hadn't, too busy reading the letter he pulled out from his duster pocket. Joe bit her lip and looked back at Vance sitting back in the throne, resting his head in his hand again.  
  
"Next," Josephine shouted and scribbled on her writing board as Alexius was taken away, "We have, Chief Movran the Under, father of Hand of Korth. Who threw, goat's, at Skyhold."  
  
Joe watched Vance nod his head at the other Avvar in-front of him, but she didn't listen when the blood rushed through her ear's. She shook her head and turned to write more on the letter to Vael, but her mind was else where when she flicked her wrist. She's lost her damned mind, that's all this is, her mind has slipped onto the floor and she's trying to find it somewhere.  
  
*****  
  
Joe handed the letter's to the raven courier to send, and slowly made her way to the library proper. Dorian and Feynriel where still sorting through book's and she needed to pack for tomorrow with Bear. Feynriel beamed when she stood next to one of the empty bookshelves and smiled back at him.  
  
"Josephine has sent several messages to other library's and scout's to former circles for book's. Oh and Dorian, she sent one to Maevaris as per requested."  
  
"Much obliged, Joe. Now, come here and tell Dorian what's bothering you. You look ever so lost, it's not a flattering look on you my lovely."  
  
Joe snorted at him and sat on the arm of his chair he pilfered from Josephine's office, "I'm just, confused that's all. Okay, a little lost too, and perhaps flustered."  
  
"Oh, what strapping man has captured your heart?"  
  
Joe bit her lip and frowned looking down at the atrium and it's fresco's, "Why am I not surprised you even saw any of that, Dorian. Maker and Ancestor's, I honestly don't know what to do about it. Is it too soon? It is too late? Am I just trying to fill Orran's boot's? I've only ever loved one person, and now I, have no idea what I'm feeling now is even the same thing!"  
  
Dorian put his head on Joe's shoulder and nodded to Feynriel, "It comes in many flavour's, every single one is different. My Amatus here had his eye on a lovely slave girl back home, they even had a thing before she was- well, you know how it is back there. And, I've had many a lover, but none like my Amatus."  
  
Feynriel hid his blush behind his sleeve then shook his head, "He's not wrong, Joe. Why shy away from loving someone when their like you. Body, height, ear's, gender, shouldn't even matter. Look at your brother and brother-in-law, their married! Look at Anders and Fenris," Feynriel takes her face in his hand and sighs resting his forehead on hers, "Do what's right in your heart. Bear will always come first for you, but creator's don't deny your own happiness."  
  
"I know," Joe sighs rubbing her chest, "I feel like I've lost my damned mind."  
  
Dorian pulled both her and Feynriel in for a hug, "I would say that's a clear indicator that your in love. It's terrible, isn't it, all those squishy feeling's and little thought's like jewel's glistening in the sun."  
  
"Oh Maker, Dorian! That's, I have no idea what to say to that," Joe snickered out when he kisses her cheek.  
  
"Vhenan, let her go pack," Feynriel chuckles removing himself from the hug, "we still have this pile of bronto dung to go through."  
  
"So demanding, Amatus. I love it."


	11. Chapter 11

They all stood and watched the spectacle in-front of them, the Iron Bull cheering on the giant as it battled the dragon. Cassandra and Blackwall just blinked and looked at each other before looking back. Bear was grinning from ear to ear from Bull's back cheering as much as the Qunari was, Joe on the other hand sat on one of the rock's with her hand over her mouth, stopping herself from laughing at it all.  
  
Vance lent on the pommel of his axe slowly shaking his head, running a hand through his wet hair, before huffing out a sigh pulling the axe from the ground and hoisting it onto one shoulder to stand next to Joe.  
  
"I suppose this counts as a birthday present," he chuckled at her, when she looked up at him and burst out laughing again.  
  
"I've never seen anything like it. This is, this is just," she waved her hand at the battling pair then at Bull and Bear, "insanity!"  
  
Vance smirked then looked at the battling pair, shifting the axe on his shoulder, "We should step in, I believe. The dragon will no doubt fly off and we will have the giant to deal with."  
  
"Yeah, it's not even supposed to be this far north, Vance. Something drove the bloody giant here," Joe shook her head, water droplet's going everywhere then sighed when she stood from the rock, "Let's go play clean up."  
  
"Boss, best birthday present ever! Your the best!" Bull shouted putting Bear down from his shoulder's, the boy snickering loudly running over to Joe, "Fuck yeah!"  
  
"Mama, Varric's not going to believe this, will he," Bear grinned at her then grinned up at Vance, "can we have the dragon skin for armour?"  
  
Vance nodded his head and slowly made his way over the Bull who was grinning just as wide as Bear, pulling the two-hander from the ground. Cassandra and Blackwall joined them, taking their own weapon's and shield's putting them in hand, and waited for the sign from Vance to attack.  
  
They all felt the wave of Bear's healing aura settle on them, and Vance nodded his head and charged forward with Bull to attack the giant. The dragon, as predicted flew away as soon as they got near, and Vance swung his axe out at the giant's leg's to fell him. Blackwall and Bull laughed the entire time harassing the giant's leg's and ankle's while Cassandra bolstered everyone along side Bear.  
  
Vance looked quickly back over to Joe, her bow aimed, letting loose arrow after arrow of fire and ice into the giant's face blinding it, Bear had his hand out then pulled it back sharply letting the ground around the giant to take hold of it's feet, keeping it in place while it fell over.  
  
Vance nodded his head at them both, then bought his axe down on the giant's neck, Bull doing the same, trying to sever it from it's neck. The giant roared out in pain and clipped Bull with a backhand sending him flying into the cliff face. Vance grit his teeth and raised his axe high above his head and bought it down hard onto the giant's head, pulling on his spirit half to cull the thing. He felt the strong tug of the fade on him, around him, and sneered his lip kicking the giant's head away while it flailed trying to find the missing thing from it's shoulder's, before slumping down dead.  
  
"That," Cassandra panted, shaking her head, "was most unexpected."  
  
"Too fucking right!" Blackwall laughed as he lent on the giant's head, "best fucking thing I've seen in year's. Dragon next, right?"  
  
"Indeed, but I do believe the dragon flew in the direction of where the Red Templars have holed up in," Vance muttered sheathing his axe, "and night is soon approaching. We should head back to the camp on the shore."  
  
"As you wish, Inquisitor. I will have our men and the Blade's scout the shore in-case of attack," Cassandra said, putting her sword and shield away.  
  
Bull pulled a tooth from the giant's head and grinned at it, tucking it into his belt then sheathed his two-handed sword, wrapping an arm around Cassandra and grinned at her glare at him, "Best. Birthday. Ever!"  
  
Vance smirked again leading everyone back to camp, Bear once more on Bull's shoulder's while Joe walked beside him. He ran his hand through his hair again, the droplet's rolling down his temple's, running it down to the single braid and sighed out quietly through his nose dropping his hand to his side. He's been meaning to ask Joe where she learned the fire from, he knows she's never used it before when he was in Anders, but her magic was becoming stronger, flowing more freely now as it should.  
  
He sighed out again when she nudged his hand and he looked down at her sideway's and smirked again, "I think we should make Bear a set of dragon skin armour, and perhaps a dragonbone weapon."  
  
"Huh, you read my mind," she chuckled at him, "I was about to suggest the same thing. He wants a two-hander," and Joe rolled her eyes, "like uncle Fenris and you."  
  
Vance barked a laugh putting his hand over Joe's shoulder, letting the magic from her seep into his core, "Perhaps something smaller to start with. A one-handed sword, or dagger's like Cole."  
  
"Maker, you've already thought this out haven't you. I told you not to let this Inquisition thing go to your head!"  
  
"Hardly. I am merely suggesting what would suit him. He is like you, Joe, an unusual mage. And that," he stop's her and smile's down at her, "is worth protecting."  
  
He watched Joe frown a little looking away. He squeezed her shoulder, running his thumb down her neck gently. He could feel her tense up under his hand and let it drop away from her shoulder when she looked back up at him, "Yes, he- I- yes," she muttered walking away.  
  
Vance furrowed his brow watching her walk away, and slipped his eyes closed before looking the opposite direction. He wondered if he said the wrong thing when he bit his lip, looking to where the dragon and Red Templars were. Maybe he was trying to hard? Maybe not trying hard enough? His emotion's where conflicted as they were and bit his lip hard when he walked to the camp.  
  
"Boss, just tell her."  
  
"Bull, I really do not think that's going to be a good idea," Vance muttered to the Qunari when his hand landed on Vance's shoulder, "I will not hurt her for-"  
  
"Nah ah. Don't," Bull turned Vance to face him, his eye looking him dead in the face, "If you don't say a damned thing, I know a certain Vint who will. And trust me, Krem fancies the damned pants off her."  
  
Vance's eyes narrowed at the Qunari then lent forward, "Do you not think I don't know that! Do you not think she's been through enough with out everyone hounding her? I know full well Anders has been nudging her. I will not push anything on her, Bull. She had enough of that to deal with in her past. And I'm not Hawke!"  
  
"I know that, Boss. But trust me on this, talk to her or Krem will," the Qunari nodded then walked away letting his hand slip from Vance's shoulder.  
  
Vance thinned his mouth in annoyance and walked into the camp proper, unbuckling the strap's to his harness and pushed his tent flap open, dropping it onto the fur's. Void take it all, why was he not surprised Krem liked Joe. He ran his hand through his hair again and huffed out in annoyance sitting down at the table, pulling missive's to read. He wrinkled his nose up more reading through the thing's, then slammed them down on the table, putting both his hand's on his head.  
  
Solas had told and warned him his former mortal emotion's where going to come on stronger now that he was half mortal again. Even Amund had said that they would as well, though he was not the same person who died, but a different being entirely from being Vengeance and now having Justice's essence in him. He really did need to find an Augur to talk to, to find out, but Josephine had found none as of yet to even communicate with.  
  
Vance slammed both his fist's down in frustration then pushed away from table, pacing about the tent to think.  
  
*****  
  
"Don't touch anything, Bear!"  
  
"I know Mama, but can you hear it? It's like a song."  
  
"Yes I know. A twisted song, not like normal lyrium," Joe muttered to her son, "It, sound's sick."  
  
Vance kicked the body of the Red Templar out of the way, then wrinkled his nose up at the Behemoth. Huge red jutting crystals everywhere over the former woman's body. It was horrific to think any of them thought ingesting red lyrium was a great idea. But they where right, it felt like a sickness coming from it, a sickness that felt the same as the Idol Bartand had.  
  
"Smells like old sock's too. Why would they do this?"  
  
"I have no idea Bear, I really don't."  
  
Vance walked past them both to the small boat bobbing on the water and looked it over for any leak's. Joe and Bear where still talking about the Red Templars and the lyrium, but his mind wandered else where, running his hand over the boat.  
  
He still had no answer's even with having a sleepless night, pacing about his tent, reading then re-reading the missive's, picking up his book's to read then putting them down. He settled on putting his hand's down his sleep pants to ease the void taken tension he had building in him, and even then, that didn't work. He's been doing that far too much as of late, laying on the bed in his quarter's, alone.  
  
"Boss, the boat's fine. Can we kill the dragon now, pleeeeease," Bull begged him practically bouncing on his feet.  
  
Vance snorted a laugh when he stood up and motioned with his head, "If you can get us there in under five minute's, you can have first hit and first pull of the dragon's tooth."  
  
Bull grinned wide at him and leapt into the boat then hollered at everyone else he was going to leave without them if they didn't get it.  
  
But Vance's mind was still wandering when he joined Bull and the other's in the boat. Void, he didn't want his mind wandering when they took down this dragon, he didn't want to be too distracted when he looks at Joe quickly then looked away. He wanted to yell at the top of his lung's, scream, rage and shout that he knows he's stalling. But he had his reason's to, he had every reason too.  
  
Vance shook his head when the boat hit the other shore line. Bull actually managed, with Blackwall, to row the damned thing in under five minute's and was leaping out of it with the Warden, hoisting Cassandra out while she scoffed, then practically ran up the rocky slope.  
  
"Makers breath. You'd think he was excited or something," Joe chuckled helping Bear out of the boat, "HEY BULL, LEAVE SOME FOR US!"  
  
"GET UP HERE THEN, KADAN!"  
  
Vance frowned when they ran up the slope as well, "Kadan?"  
  
"Yeah. Means friend, or loved one, or warrior buddy."  
  
"Oh," Vance murmured unsheathing his axe, feeling the hurt go through him when they crest the rise to where the dragon is.  
  
"He calls Bear Kadan as well. I may not like the Qunari," Joe chuckled pulling her bow of her back, running her finger's over the rune's, "but I consider Bull a friend also."  
  
Vance felt the hurt go, and nodded his head at her before charging off to help kill the dragon. And void, was the dragon beautiful to look at, seemed a shame to cull her when she flapped her wing's at them standing on her hind leg's before slamming into the ground.  
  
She reared her head back and roared at them all before letting loose electricity from her maw at them. Vance smirked and pulled on his spirit warrior, his skin cracking with deep and light blue, and spun in a circle clipping her front leg. Bull did the same on the other front leg, Cassandra and Blackwall joining them. Joe and Bear where well enough away from the High dragon, sending both spirit and cold into her wing's.  
  
The dragon roared and started to buffet her wing's, knocking everyone bar him over then pulling them back in, and Vance wrinkled his nose up as he sneered, pulling more the fade when the dragon nearly took Cassandra head off. Frost was slowly going up the dragon's leg's, over her wing's and the dragon roared again when it went over her neck. He bought his axe down hard on her frozen wing and shattered it, Bull did the same on the other side. The dragon roared out in both fury and pain, but the frost was turning the dragon solid from within.  
  
Vance bit his lip hard when he wrinkled his nose more, bringing the axe down on the dragon's neck and heard the shatter when it fell onto the floor and shattered more. Bull whooped and hollered lifting his two-handed sword over his head and grinned wide at Vance. He shook his head at the Qunari and re-sheathes his axe, bending down to pick up one of the dragon's teeth and threw it at him, before taking taking one for himself, turning it over in his hand, thinking.  
  
*****  
  
"Oh, Alistair, what have you gotten yourself in too," Vance heard Joe murmur looking over the torn journal entries at the abandoned Warden camp.  
  
Blackwall was going through the rest, shaking his head, "Their huntin' them, Joe. Somethings gotten their knickers in a twist."  
  
"The calling? Corypheus? So many bloody possibility's and no answer. But this," Joe handed Vance one of the entries, "mentions Crestwood, and, our old farmstead."  
  
Angst boiled through his vein's reading the entry. The bastard's went there first after Joe and everyone else left and ransacked the place before burning it to the ground, just to see if they could find any sign's of her brother and brother-in-law. This, was most unjust when he read through more, sitting next to Blackwall while the Warden poked a stick through the long cold campfire to find anything. The Warden's where loosing their mind's then more he read the entry, hearing the calling more and more before they left the Storm Coast in pursuit of Alistair.  
  
"Why would the Warden's turn on their own, unless their is discord within the rank's?" Vance asked Blackwall and the man shook his head throwing the stick down on the charcoal before walking away.  
  
"Warden's do anything during a Blight to stop it. There is no Blight, just some fucking Magister with a poxy fake archdemon," Blackwall ran a hand over his beard then sighed, "I don't fear the calling, I never will, that's a Warden's strength for you."  
  
"Weisshaupt has always been a place with discord, Vance. They've always kept to themselves, never really giving a damn about the rest of the Warden's around Thedas. Or, well, so Alistair, Aeden and Anders have said," Joe muttered throwing a stone over the cliff, "Fucking Maker take it all. We have to find them, before whoever this lot is, does."  
  
Vance had no idea what to think, all he remembers from Anders was the taint and anger from the taint going through him, and now Anders doesn't have it any longer when both he and Justice where removed. He wondered if that was a viable cure for the taint, but then thought against it, it would just twist his kind more, leaving the Warden free of the taint. But there was definitely something going on, and they did need to find her brother urgently. Cullen and Leliana will do that when they get back, this is just as important as anything else going on.  
  
"Mama, I think I found something," Bear ran over to them waving his hand's at them to follow.  
  
"What is it, Bear?"  
  
Bear pointed to another camp just further away from their's hidden among a densely pack copse, pack's and other equipment scattered around a camp fire, and Vance put his hand up telling everyone to hold position when he sees a dead body.  
  
He walks slowly over, letting his spirit half come forth keeping an eye and ear out in-case the killer was still close by. The closer he got, the more his stomach wanted to bottom out, there were more then one dead body and more then one camp when he pushed a branch out the way.  
  
"Joe, I think you may want to see this, but leave Bear there," he shouted behind himself turning one of the dead mean over with his boot and shook his head.  
  
Joe came running over and he hears her gasp out when she walks by him, her hand over her mouth looking at all the dead royal guards in the camp's, "Oh, Maker no."  
  
Vance put his hand on her shoulder to stop her going further in just in-case, but she shrugs out of it walking in anyway, rolling bodies over with her own boot's to make sure none were her brother. She shook her head at each one, her hand's going into fist's by her side, and he could hear her mutter curse's at the Warden's under her breath when she rolls the next one over.  
  
"They killed them all, for nothing," she mutters kicking the Grey Warden sword away from the body then stoops down picking something up, "A Warden Commander badge? Oh Maker, is that-"  
  
Vance watches her pick up a feather, and tilts his head at it, "A bird's feather?"  
  
Joe shook her head at him holding it up to the light, he sees the slight sheen of iridescence's go over it, "A Gryphon feather, a pristine Gryphon feather!"  
  
"Why would there be a Gryphon feather here," he asks looking at it in awe, then down at Joe, "I thought they where all dead."  
  
"They are. Been extinct since the forth blight. But the feather's can be preserved in lyrium like this one has."  
  
Vance smiled at her nodding his head, taking the feather and badge from her, "I believe Blackwall would like these."  
  
"At least my brother's not among this lot, but shit we have to do something, Vance. We have too!"  
  
"We will, when we get back to Skyhold, we will go to Crestwood regardless what Cullen says."  
  
*****  
  
Everyone else was asleep when he stepped out his tent, all except the scout's who where far enough away but close enough in-case of danger, and walked barefoot to the shore line, the dragon tooth in his hand. The salty breeze ruffled through his hair as he slowly made his way over to a boulder, running his thumb over the smoothness of the dragon tooth, the wind caressing his bare chest when he sat on top of the grey boulder. Vance rested his arm's over his knee's, the dragon tooth in both hand's looking out over the Waking Sea, and sighed deeply.  
  
The former Avvar, turned spirit, turned Vengeance, who took Justice within, turned half mortal, turned Inquisition leader was utterly and completely lost on what to do. It wasn't as if everything was overwhelming as it was, and now this. Vance turned the dragon tooth between his hand's still looking out at the sea, then closed his eyes when the breeze caressed him again.  
  
Solas was right, his emotion's where coming on stronger, hitting him harder then he thought they would. Bodily function's where one thing, eating, drinking, pissing, wanking, it was ingrained on him from being mortal before, but it was the fact that his emotion's felt raw all the time.  
  
What was it Joe asked him in the fade? Love, Loyalty, Mercy, Truth, he knew he had all them once before he died, he told her that. But it confused him none the less being what he was in the fade, no Land of the Dream's, becoming something else, shedding his old skin to become anew. And now, he was anew again with Justice making him whole, being half mortal making him whole, but he was still empty. He hurt so many people for his Vengeance, he killed many, but none of it gave him the satisfaction he wanted.  
  
He was still Vengeance, he was still Justice, but he was still empty.  
  
Vance lowered his head between his leg's, the dragon tooth still in his hand's and gripped it hard. He had no idea what he was any more. He was everything and nothing. Lessers and Greaters still cowered before him. But yet, he was empty, he wasn't whole like he really thought he would be. And why should he, the one thing that might make him whole was the one person who's been through enough in her life. Vance shook his head when he felt the first tear roll down his face to fall onto the boulder.  
  
He's never felt this strong of an emotion before, he knows this when the other tear's land on the boulder. Why was this so important to him now?  
  
Vance sucked in a deep breath, and let it out slowly then looked back up to the sea, back in the direction Kirkwall laid over the other side. Everything that was set in motion started there, everything, and now here he was trying to stop what was set in motion there. Everything.  
  
Vance shook his head and looked back down at the dragon tooth and sighed deeply again, pushing away from the boulder to go back to his tent. The rain started again and he wanted to laugh, the weather knew how he felt right now when it washed away his tear streaked face, going back to the camp proper.  
  
Vance cocked his head when a figure stumbled out of one of the other tent's, then smiled softly when Joe shooed her wisp away when she sat down before the camp fire heavily in the light rain.  
  
"Couldn't sleep either, Joe," he muttered making both her wisp and her jump when she looked up at him.  
  
"I, oh, your-" she looked away but not before he noticed the blush go across her face, "why are you half dressed, Vance?"  
  
He shrugged and slumped down on the drift wood bench next to her and sighed out loudly, "Why bother dressing fully when the rain keeps on pouring while you go think."  
  
"Heh, I know what you mean. I did that quite a bit back in Crestwood," Joe chuckled slowly looking back at him, "Fenris used to haul my sopping backside home, then have Anders roll his eyes and tell me off like an old bloody woman."  
  
Vance chuckled too, rolling the tooth in his hand's, "I can just picture Anders in a floral dress waving a rolling pin around to give you what for."  
  
"OH trust me, he's done that. Dress and rolling pin, I mean," Joe snickered looking back at him fully, "I'm not joking either."  
  
"You did not answer my question though, Joe. Can you not sleep?"  
  
"Not really," she muttered scuffing the stone's with her bare feet, "Bear's out for the count, Bull snores as much as Blackwall and Cassandra, well I have no idea. Just not, tired, not really."  
  
Vance furrowed his brow then nodded standing up, "I, have nightcap's if you are interested."  
  
Joe raised an eyebrow at him, then blushed again looking at his chest, "I, would like that. As long as it's not brandy."  
  
"Yes, I remember the incident with the brandy Varric gave you. How you managed to get home was astounding," Vance smirked going to his tent.  
  
"Yeaaah, never again."  
  
He put the dragon tooth on the table and picked up his pack from the ground, looking through it and hummed when he found the whiskey, "Will this be alright?" he shook the bottle at her.  
  
"Ancestor's, whiskey! I honestly didn't think you drink anything other then ale and mead. But yes, it'll be fine."  
  
"Varric's gift to me when I could not sleep one night back in Haven, when he noted I drank and ate as anyone else. Well, more so, I should say," he chuckled pulling out a couple of tumbler's from his pack as well, "though I do not drink to excess."  
  
Joe hummed when she picked up the dragon tooth from the table, running her finger's over the curve then to the tip, "Orran really wanted one of these. Just could never find a High dragon to kill. Then you lot ended up killing one in that bloody Bone Pit. He still never got his tooth though, from what he told me."  
  
"No, it was too badly burnt by the time we all went back to the body," Vance frowned slightly then closed his eyes shaking his head, that's why he wanted to tooth, because Orran never got his. Void, was he feeling even more miserable now.  
  
"And now you have a fine one, Vance. Me and Bear have the wee one's, and there's plenty of skin for anyone who needs leather armour made. I think we did sodding well for a second dragon kill, well my first, I should say."  
  
"Indeed," he said out glumly slumping down at his table drinking his now second tumbler of whiskey, "I suppose so."  
  
"Vance? What's wrong?"  
  
"I, it is nothing, Joe."  
  
Joe moved closer to him putting the tooth back down on the table as well as the tumbler with half it's content's gone, "It doesn't seem like nothing to me."  
  
He looked at her standing right next to him and furrowed his brow looking away, "I- Void. Joe," he looks back at her and takes her hand in his looking down at the size difference in them again and sighed running his thumb over the back of her hand, "Go get some rest. We have a few day's before we get back to Skyhold."  
  
He couldn't do it, he just couldn't say it when he let her hand go. Misery be damned, he just couldn't do it when Joe sighed out and nodded, then left his tent.  
  
Vance rested his head on his arm on the table, and thumbed the dragon tooth again. Justice may of been right, love may of known no boundaries, it was a powerful thing, but one he didn't want to cross no matter how he felt about Joe.  
  
"Shit," Vance muttered closing his eyes gripping the tooth tight in his hand, "shit."


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorrryyyy - Character deaths ahead.

Cullen shook his head sliding the report's over to Vance. Josephine had her arm around Leliana as Cassandra slammed the war room door shut when she walked out. Crestwood was besieged with Red Templars now, the only place that wasn't was the village where the Inquisition kept it safe, where to huge rift was. Vance bit his lip looking at the other report's, two of them where upsetting everyone more then anything.  
  
Sera was dead, trying to take matter's in her own hand's when a Red Jenny situation crept up out of no-where, killing some of her people. Void take it, if she only just waited till he got back they could of done it together, but she didn't and now she was dead, along with the bastard who set her up. But that wasn't the only thing. Oh, it was worse and Vance slammed the report down and pushed away from the table.  
  
They found Aeden Cousland, wandering near naked coated in blood outside of Skyhold, holding Alistair's sword tight against his chest. Currently in Anders infirmary with Bear and Clemence, trying to find out what happened.  
  
Vance walked out of the war room, through the great hall to Anders infirmary. He didn't give a shit about the Orlesian's behind him trying to get his attention, he didn't give a shit about anything else when he pushed the infirmary door open. Clemence and Anders were wrapping bandage's around Aeden's arm's and leg's, Bear was sitting at the foot of the bed, his healing flowing from him into the prone man. Joe had her head resting on the pommel of Alistair's sword sitting at the other end of the infirmary with Cassandra, her arm wrapped around Joe's   
shoulder's.  
  
Cassandra looked up at him, and void, he knew when he looked at her, he knew when he slowly made his way over to sit on the other side of Joe. She didn't even raise her head when Cassandra let her shoulder's go, nodding her head at him before leaving. Vance wrapped his arm around her, resting his head on-top of hers, rubbing her arm gently. He looked up at the infirmary door when it swung open again, Fiona running in looking over Aeden with her hand over her mouth, then over to Joe.  
  
"Please, tell me it isn't true," Fiona muttered dropping on the floor in-front of Joe, putting her shaking hand's on Joe's head, "please."  
  
Vance heard Joe choke back a sob when she lifted her head slightly, and he let her go when both Fiona and Joe flung themselves at each other, wrapping their arm's around the other. His heart broke, but yet rage filled it. The Warden's did this, the Warden's killed Alistair and nearly killed Aeden.   
  
Anger and rage filled him when he rose from the bench and walked over to Anders, "How bad is it," he muttered to the mage. Anders shook his head and sighed deeply, "They used blood magic on him, Vance. Apparently, the Warden mages are using blood magic to stop the calling. Aeden's in bad shape, but," Anders furrowed his brow at Vance and blinked away the tear's, "you have to kill them. They've lost their damned mind's."  
  
"Where are they?" Vance's teeth ground together, anger boiling up in him. He will have Justice and Vengeance for this against the Warden's, he will make them pay.  
  
"Western Approach," Anders muttered wiping the tear's from his face, "Grey Warden outpost. Near Adamant fortress as well. Maker, this is madness even for them!"  
  
"Warden's or no. They will face judgement for this desecration, Anders. This will NOT stand!" and with that he stormed out the infirmary through the upper courtyard, up the stair's and through the great hall. He stood before the throne with his nose wrinkled and his lip sneered looking at it, ignoring the nobles and Orlesian's behind him. The anger rose up in him again when he turned on his heel to go to his quarter's to gather his armour and axe. He would not let this stand when he bounded up the stair's.  
  
Joe's brother was dead at the hand's of the people who could save the world, who everyone trusted to the stop the blight's. The people who have lost their mind's hearing the calling at the same time, subjecting Aeden and Alistair to blood magic. Warden mages as well. No, this will not stand. He will take who he can to the Western Approach and then to Adamant if they were not there.  
  
"I'm coming with you," a small sad voice murmured behind him and he slipped his eyes closed resting his hand's on the wardrobe.  
  
"Joe, you need to stay here. For Aeden, for Bear. I will deal with this with the other's."  
  
"I'M COMING WITH YOU!" Joe shouted at him, throwing Alistair's sword into the wall above his bed, "I will tear every single one of the piece's of shit apart with my bare hand's, Vance. I don't care. My brother deserved better, Aeden deserved better. The Warden warrior's deserve better then to be fucking bled for magic!"  
  
Vance bit his lip pushing away from the wardrobe looking at the sword stuck in the wall above his bed vibrating slightly, then sighed out through his nose looking down at Joe, "If you go, there will be guarantee th-"  
  
"No," Joe ground out bounding over, pointing her finger at him, "don't you dare. They can't do shit to me. I'm coming with you."  
  
"Fine. I do not think this is a good idea, Joe. But I cannot stop you. Go get your gear ready, we leave as soon as possible."  
  
*****  
  
Everyone in the camp was on edge, hand's on sword's and daggers, scout's and guards running to and fro. Cullen pushed the report's from the table onto the floor, and stormed off to the raven courier. Vance lent on the table and lowered his head. This, was worse then they thought, all of it was. The closer they got to the Western Approach, the more bodies they found along the way. Both Warden warrior and villager alike, scattered the road's either bled dry or butchered.   
  
Blackwall cried and howled into the night when they started to find the first bodies of women and children butchered or bled, or in some case's, both. He cried and howled when they found Warden's strung up from tree's and bridge's for reason's of treason.  
  
The man was sitting with his head in his hand's away from the camp. Time alone, he told Vance with heaviness in his heart when he walked away, time alone to think.  
  
Ser Barris and Cassandra where talking quietly near the camp fire, Varric and Joe where going through equipment crate's checking and re-checking them before they got to the Western Approach. She left Bear behind with Anders, Fenris and Cole for protection in-case she didn't come back. Vance knew nothing was going to stop her from tearing through Adamant with her bare hand's at all, but who was he to talk when he wanted to do the same thing. They where a week away now, and this madness from the Warden's needed to end.  
  
Vance pushed away from the table, and slowly made his way around the camp, watching, looking, helping where needed, but mostly to settle his men and women's mind's, to show that he was there among them, with them. Even if he was his spirit half most of the time. His anger had no abated in the least when he made his way to his tent, no, not in the least when he undid the buckles on his harness dropping it on his fur's, it was raging more and more the closer they got.  
  
"Inquisitor, can we, speak."  
  
Vance sucked in a breath and lent on his desk, "Come in, Blackwall. Speak your mind."  
  
Blackwall had his head hung low and his shoulder's drooped when he pushed the tent flap open, then slowly made his way in not looking up at Vance, "I, have something I need to tell you. And, fuck, I can't keep this fucking quiet any more."  
  
"What is it?" Vance was in no mood for game's when Blackwall looked up at him.  
  
"I'm not a Grey Warden. Never was. I, lied, to make my fucking life better, to stop a good man from dying in name. I wasn't going to let the world loose a man like Blackwall. So, I took his name when he died. I didn't kill him, don't get me wrong there," Blackwall ran a hand through his beard and sighed out heavily, "My name's Thom Rainier, a murderer, Captain under Celene's army."  
  
Vance frowned looking down at Blackwall, then nodded, "Why lie? Why lie about who you are? Why bring this up now?"  
  
"Because I fucking have too," Blackwall ground out pacing, "I lied because I wanted a second fucking chance and I could of had that with the Warden's. But Blackwall died when I went to get my vial of blood, he died and I lived, so I took his name and became him. And now," Blackwall shook his head and slumped down on the chair in-front of Vance's desk, "all I see out there is something I could of been, could of ended up like. I'm a murderer, I killed a fucking family, I killed children, my men killed them on my order's but it was just like I had their fucking blood on my hand's. I did it! But I'm not like them!"  
  
Vance narrowed his eyes at the defeated man in-front of him, moving around his desk. Blackwall, no Thom didn't look up at him when he put his hand on the man's shoulder, "You want to redeem yourself, Thom. You do not wish to become like the Warden's out there now you see the truth of them. I will not be your judge, you have already done that yourself. You are a worthy man, Thom, worthy of the redemption you are putting yourself through. But do not get me wrong."   
  
Vance wrinkled his nose and took Thom's face in his hand's so he would look at him, "What you did was reprehensible. What you did was unthinkable. But you want to redeem yourself, I will not deny you that, Thom Rainier. Now go, we have work to do."  
  
Thom blinked his eyes several time's at Vance, and slowly, nodded his head. Vance could see the great weight lifting from the man's shoulder's when he mouthed 'thank you' at him, and left his tent. The tent flap opened again and Joe peaked her head in, "I see he finally spoke with you," she muttered dipping her head.  
  
"Indeed. Did you know?"  
  
"Know what? Other then the fact the man's been troubled since we've known him? Yeah, but other then that, I have no idea what he said to you." Joe wrinkled her nose up at him then heaved out a sigh walking into his tent more, "I can hear the stones even from this distance. Seeping into the ground. There's been a lot of blood spilt there, and the stones are not happy."  
  
"Are they telling you anything else?" Vance murmured carefully putting his hand on her shoulder and slipped his eyes closed feeling the strong hum under his finger's and whispered, "shit."  
  
Joe frowned up at him, then nodding slowly looking down, "Yes. They have a lot of, demon's, with them. Twisted, I should say. I'm glad we didn't bring any other mage here, Maker knows they'll be at more risk then me, Vance."  
  
"I know," he murmured squeezing her shoulder gently before dropping his arm, "We will deal with it all. Joe, I suggest preparing yourself in-case. I will not see you harmed here, I will not let you die, no matter what."  
  
"I will. I'm not going to let Bear down by not going back home. And so should you. Maker knows what they have there, I don't want to see you bound to some piece of shit Warden, Vance, I really don't."  
  
Joe wrapped her arm's around him and Vance's eyes slipped closed again, putting both his hand's on her shoulder's, his thumb's brushing the side of her neck and face when he tilts it up letting his spirit side abate when he looks down at her, "I will not let that happen. I will not let you down, Joe, " he whispers smiling softly.  
  
"Good. I'll be pissed other wise, I don't want to loose someone else I give a damn about. And your just too damned tall! Bloody tree," Joe chuckled.  
  
"Void Joe," Vance snickered shaking his head, "Former Avvar and spirit, remember. I cannot help being seven foot four!"  
  
"Yeah you can. Next time you go all spirity, become a dwarf! We're just so bloody awesome," Joe flexed her arm's and posed then grinned at him flexing more.  
  
"Joe, get out of my tent," he laughed at her pulling face's at him, "I have work to do. We shall talk about your awesome nature back at Skyhold void damn it."  
  
*****  
  
Adamant was nothing less then an abattoir everywhere they looked. Blood flowed down stair's, seeping deep into the stones. Bodies of warrior and rogue Warden's scattered the place, some whole, other's in piece's to get every last drop of blood from them. Some, much to everyone's horror, where up on display like gruesome effigies, with their flesh flayed, their innards splayed around them like garish decoration's. The twisted roamed the fortress with the Warden mages, bound by blood magic and madness.  
  
There would be no saving the Warden's after this, they where doomed the whole lot of them, all except those in Weisshaupt who ignored everything going on. No, there would be no saving any southern Warden when Vance cut another one down, severing her head from her body then killing the twisted when it roared at him in anger.  
  
The stones where slick with blood and other effluvia when he swung out again at another mad mage running towards him, blood pouring from the deep cut across his neck. A bolt from Bianca and Varric put that mage out of his madness, but more kept coming, more twisted followed them. Some of the mages had hardly any blood left in them, little more then walking husk's as they all culled them. Barris sent one smite and cleanse after another, but they where getting no-where fast the closer they got to the middle of the fortress.   
  
"Herald, I cannot keep this up," Ser Barris panted out, "There's just too many of them."  
  
"I know. But we must get to the center on the fortress, Delrin. Just use your sword and shield to keep them at bay from Varric," Vance nodded to him, "Do not wear yourself out."  
  
Barris nodded, picking his tower shield back up, backing away slowly giving Varric cover while he fired. Joe was with Cassandra, the Seeker had her hand on Joe's shoulder pulling her backwards to Thom Rainier who had a hand on his gut and Vance cursed under his breath. He looked back at the crazed mages and twisted coming at them and stood up to his full height pulling on his spirit self more, letting the fade piece in his hand wrap through him. He grit his teeth hard drawing his arm's in against his body, his fist's clenched letting them come closer, then sneered his lip hard letting the fade erupt from his body when he thrusted his arm's out hard, arching his head and back letting the fade and spirit of himself kill the fool's.  
  
There was a scream from behind him but he ignored it pulling his arm's and fist's in sharply before doing it again, killing the twisted letting them fade away into nothing, where they belong.  
  
"VANCE! STOP!" Cassandra shouted at him and he dropped his spirit side quick and looked behind himself. His heart sank to the bottom of his feet at the figure slowly shambling over to them, covered head to toe in blood, naked and shaking, missing an eye and half his right arm.  
  
"Oh Maker, Maker Alistair, what have they done you," Joe stuttered out, reaching for her brother then collapsed onto the ground when he fell against her, "Ancestor's Alistair. I'm here."  
  
Alistair just shook against her, trying to put his left hand on her face then screamed in pain, his face contorting. Vance dropped his axe on the ground and skidded next to them both, he could feel the dark pull of blood magic on him, but no lyrium, no corruption, and looked at Joe, "We need to get him out of here, Joe. Void take it all, we need a healer!"  
  
Joe cupped her brother's face to calm him down, "I know," she whispered, "Vance," she looked at him pained, then back at her brother, "this is the fall of the Warden's. Ancestor's have mercy, we can't let them go on."  
  
"Barris, Cassandra, take Alistair back to the camp. The rest of us will go ahead and deal with this, madness. Varric, Thom, Joe, we finish this," Vance sneered out cupping her face before standing, "This injustice will be pain kindly back in blood and Vengeance."  
  
"Good, because I'm sick and tired of looking at this shit," Varric spat out on the ground, "And to think I liked the Warden's once."  
  
"I fucking agree. I wanted to join this? Let's fucking end this!" Thom nodded at him.  
  
"Why do I wish Shayle was here with us? She'd have this place razed before we even got in here," Joe nodded at all of them, then looked at Cassandra, "Take care of my brother. I'm not going to loose him."  
  
"I will, Joe. Now go, all of you. Me and Ser Barris will deal with the wounded along with Cullen and his men."  
  
The remaining four ran off, leaving the rest behind, running towards the center of the fortress. They encountered no more resistance, for there was none but husk's of the former maddened mages and ichor smeared on the ground where the twisted were, but a huge rift partially open was near the center along with two very blood soaked people, panting.  
  
"Thunderhumper," one shouted out lifting his axe at them, then dropped it when the group got closer, "Fucking sod. Duster? That you?"  
  
"Oghren? That you under all that shit?" Joe laughed grabbing the dwarf's shoulder's, "Ancestor's be praised, am I glad to see you!"  
  
"And you as well, my lady," the other one muttered and bowed, "But I fear we don't have much time. The Orlesian Commander chased the Magister, who forced the mages into this, to the battlement's."  
  
"Nathaniel, where's Sigrun? Where's the rest of them?" Joe muttered looking at the other man, and Vance felt a swell of jealousy rise through him when this Nathaniel hugged her tight, kissing her cheek.  
  
"I'm afraid their all gone, thanks to this madness," Nathaniel shook his head, "Was no saving them when they started sometime back. We tried, but we have little time. They tried to bring a massive demon through, but we stopped them. We have to go after them!"  
  
"Then we will finish this, Warden's. Aid us in stopping this madness," Vance boomed then turned his burning gaze at Nathaniel, "Which way?"  
  
Nathaniel pointed up a flight of step's and Vance nodded bounding up them, everyone else following. They where all exhausted fighting through everything to get here, and now, a Magister inciting this, madness. Vance would not let this go unpunished in the least. A dragon roared above their head's and everyone ducked when it spewed red fire at them, melting the stones around them.  
  
"It's that poxy fake archdemon," Thom hissed putting his shield over his face, "Fuck this shit!"  
  
The dragon flew off again, letting them all run ahead. The sound of a heated argument up ahead slowed them down, and there was the Commander fighting this Magister at the end of a broken bridge, the dragon flying over them.  
  
"We need to kill them both," Vance muttered angrily, stalking forward to them both.  
  
"You destroyed the Warden's," the woman shouted sending the Magister skidding across the ground with a stone fist, "How could you!"  
  
The Magister laughed through his bloody mouth and spat on the ground, "You did that to yourself, you stupid bitch. Dangle a bit of power and you couldn't resist it. No better then what I am, pathetic."  
  
The woman roared and charged at him, but the dragon got there first, severing her body in half when it picked up up high in the sky, before landing on the edge of the bridge eating the rest of her. Vance and everyone else readied their weapon's and charged the dragon, the Magister trying to back away telling them to stop, but nobody listened when the bridge started to collapse under the weight. The dragon went first into the void beyond when the bridge fell away. The other two Warden's tried to haul Varric and Thom away from the collapsing bridge but it was too late when it fell away under them.  
  
Vance's eyes went wide falling through the abyss below them, they couldn't die, not like this. He looked too his left, Varric had his arm's wrapped around Bianca, his hair free from his tie smiling, Thom had his eyes closed whispering prayer's, his sword stuck in the Magister's chest. He looked at Joe as she looked at him, no they wouldn't die like this, he thrust his fade piece hand out and tugged hard -  
  
*****  
  
"Maker have mercy, where are we?"  
  
Vance blinked his eyes laying flat out on the ground, his axe some distance away from his grasp. He blinked again pushing up from the ground as people around him spoke.  
  
"We're, in the fade. Actually, physically in the fade," he heard Joe say in awe, "Ancestor's, there's the black city!"  
  
"How the sodding fuck did we get in here? Dwarves ain't meant to be here, Duster!"  
  
"Because I bought us here. We had no way without us all dying falling through the abyss," Vance muttered looking about himself. But this, was not the place he remembers, it was dark, twisted and tarnished everywhere he looked, "we appear to have landed in a demesnes of one exceptionally powerful."  
  
He looked at everyone behind him and shook his head, "Prepare yourselves. This is the demesnes of Nightmare. Even I will not be safe here with one such as that."  
  
Joe looked at him then looked away, "Well, that's just bloody fantastic."  
  
"Do you think we can leave the same way we entered?" Nathaniel asked him picking up his bow from the ground, "I don't relish the thought of remaining here long."  
  
Vance nodded his head and pointed forward to the point in the distance ebbing and flowing, then walked over to pick his axe up. This, was not good for any of them, when they walked through the quagmire of this demesnes. They would all be subjected to Nightmare's taunts soon enough, and that, he was not looking forward too. Other's may cower from him, but it was this one they all feared the most.  
  
Wraiths, Shades and Rages joined them as they walked through the twisted demesnes, cowering at Vance in submission. At least they would not follow Nightmare, at least they would have their back's when they reach the beast.  
  
The further they walked, the more twisted it became, sending shivers down Vance's spine. Several Pride's joined them the further they walked in the quagmire, boot's sinking into the slickened ground. He was feeling more and more uneasy the further they walked, Nightmare had yet to make an appearance.  
  
A woman in chantry clothing stood before them, blocking the way ahead, and Vance tilted his head at her, looking her over. It was the woman in the vision at the temple, but-  
  
"Divine Justinia? No, but your dead," Nathaniel muttered lowering his bow, "How is this possible?"  
  
Vance shook his head resting on his axe when he lent on it, "No, this is Faith. I greet you Faith, but why are you here?"  
  
"I came to help you," Faith smiled at him, "You do not remember what happened at the temple, do you not, Vengeance. Nightmare took them from you, took all the memories you once had."  
  
"Why?" Vance frowned looking down at the ground then shook his head, "I remember somethings but not all."  
  
"He feeds," Faith nodded at him, "He feeds on all the fear's, from our kind and the mortals. He has fed well for an age, growing fat on nightmare's and lost hope. You must kill him, Vengeance, pass your judgement on him and kill him. It will be the only way to free yourselves and gather your memories back."  
  
Faith smiled at them all as she changed, her skin glowed and split revealing her true self as she floated up in the air and pointed forward, "I will guide you. But you must hurry."  
  
Vance nodded his head and picked up his axe again, then motioned for them all to follow. The fade rippled violently around them, but they pushed on, the Divine Faith urging them on. More twisted followed them, eager to see this demesnes end.  
  
"Ahhh I welcome you, Brother," a deep voice boomed around them, "A foolish Vengeance playing with thing's he doesn't understand."  
  
"Yes, yes, do go on," Vance muttered rolling his eyes, "I have judged you Nightmare, but please do go on."  
  
"Blackwall. Ahh there is nothing like a Grey Warden, and your nothing like a Grey Warden."  
  
Thom threw his head back and laughed, "They already fucking know. Go on try another."  
  
"Hmmph. Storyteller, your putting your friend in danger again. Like you did with Hawke. Like you did with-"  
  
"Keep talking Smiley. Bianca wants to give you a kiss."  
  
"ARRGGHH!"  
  
The Nightmare was getting no-where fast with them, Vance surmised when they pushed on. Calling Oghren out on killing his own wife over the Anvil, comparing Nathaniel to his father, to which they both shrugged off. Nobody was listening to it the further they walked. And then-  
  
"Do you think anything Hawke did mattered, Joe. Do you think anything you did mattered?" Nightmare's voice changed and Vance watched Joe flinch, "What's the matter, dog. Afraid yet? I'll show you true fear!"  
  
"I'm not listening. I'm not listening to you," Joe murmured shaking her head.  
  
"Oh but your are, mage."  
  
A figure in Templar armour appeared in-front of them with a collar in his hand, grinning wide at her "I own you, remember. I own everything about you, you fucking ugly mage of a whore! Get over here and get on your damned knee's, bitch!"  
  
Vance felt the anger boil up in him when he realises who this was. Eliam. And he swung his axe out culling the vision, "She does not belong to you, or anyone else, fiend," he boomed out.  
  
"Oh? But what about you Vengeance? Or should I say... Korlen Blade-Breaker. How they killed you, tore you apart. Such delicious agony. Let me remind you!"  
  
Vance fell on the ground dropping his axe, putting his hand's over his head as memories flooded his mind, and screamed loud into the fade around him-  
  
  
 _"Korlen Devhensen, Lady favour's you, even one who's barely eighteen season's!"_  
  
 _Korlen wrinkle's his nose and dips his head at the Thane, "Aye, she does. I think I've earned my mark!"_  
  
 _The Thane and the Augur both nod their head's at him when he presented the several broken blade's to them on bended knee, gifting them to the god's before him._  
  
 _"The god's agree, Korlen Devhensen. I think those mage-killer's got what they deserved for killing our own. Lowlanders and their way's, how can they even live like that?"_  
  
 _The Augur sighed out loud shaking his head, "They will never understand. Now come sit before me, Korlen Devhensen, the god's wish to gift you with your name."_  
  
  
 _"Blade-Breaker, stop looking at me like that."_  
  
 _"Never, too pretty not to look at," he smirk's tiling his head at her, "only another year till I can get your hand, Ivvania Hostendotten."_  
  
 _Ivvania shook her head at him, putting her basket of fish down, "Aye, that maybe but don't think I ain't going to make you work for it."_  
  
 _Korlen bit his lip then grinned, dipping his head at her and turned away, "I like a challenge."_  
  
 _"That you do, Blade-Breaker."_  
  
  
 _Smoke pours from the hold, flame's licking up at the sky the closer he got. They've only been away for a few week's hunting, and they come back to this?_  
  
 _Korlen Blade-Breaker runs with the other's to the hold, bodies lining the way blooded and burnt. It was gone, their whole hold was gone. Nobody was left alive when he walked though it, nobody. The god's shimmered and slipped away, in pain and hurt looking at their dead butchered Augur, looking at him._  
  
 _He sees Ivvania's body half out of her home, her blade's still in her grasp and Korlen drop's to his knee's running a hand over her burnt face. Six more year's he had to wait, six more year's was promised, six year's ending in fire. He howled at everything around him, this is not how he wanted to take her hand's in his. Six year's of waiting and it was gone._  
  
  
 _"You want what? Piss off, old man."_  
  
 _"I'm no older then your Thane, upstart!"_  
  
 _The man threw his head back and laughed at the man below them by that gate, everyone did. Korlen wrinkled his nose in distaste at them and pulled his weapon from his back and threw it at the gate barring him from the Hold, "You dare dishonour me? I thought the Hold was better then this, but it appears I was wrong. I came as friend, but you prove that your no more then common nug's."_  
  
 _"Did you hear what he just called us? Nug's! We're Jaw's of Hakkon, old man. Be off with you."_  
  
 _"NO! I want to join the Hold and you dishonour me with no challenge!"_  
  
 _The man who laughed hard narrowed his eye's at Korlen Blade-Breaker, then shook his head, "Then we challenge you old man. If you beat us all, then you can be our arena trainer. If, you beat us all."_  
  
 _"I accept. Now open the bloody gate."_  
  
  
 _He lent on his axe grinning at them all, sweat pouring down his face. They deemed him worthy after all the challenges they put him through. Korlen Blade-Breaker wiped the sweat from his face and nodded his head at the Thane. He earned his right to be join the Jaw's of Hakkon, as was tradition._  
  
 _"Not bad, not bad at all. Seems that Hakkon favoured you after all, Blade-Breaker."_  
  
 _"Aye, not bad for an old man, in other word's," he grinned._  
  
 _"HAH, forty five season's ain't old. Who ever told you that's gonna to be fed to the bloody whelping!"_  
  
 _Korlen smirked in agreement and pulled his fur hood over his face. He beat them all and now he had a home within the Hold. His own Hold was gone, not like it mattered after ten year's, thisis where he wanted to be when he stepped into his hut, putting his axe on the wall peg's. Korlen looked down at the mud and paint streaking and sighed shaking his head, pushing his hood open, running a hand through his hair and tugged on his single braid, "Aye, Lady saw me fit, and fit I was."_  
  
  
 _He screamed as the first blade was driven into his stomach waking him up. He tried to move but they pinned him down driving more into him. He screamed for vengeance at them all, killing him with their blade's. His screams were rasping out, blood pouring from his mouth when they started to cut the limb's from his body. He slipped into death, vengeance on them all when he slipped away. He watched them all screaming from the Land of the Dream's when they threw his remains into a ditch, his axe broken in half, thrown on-top of his butchered corpse._  
  
 _He screamed and raged in the world around him, filling him with the vengeance he so desired on them all. His mind and body shaping to his will when he drove his blade into the first person who came across him in the fade. He killed many in his lust for vengeance, his armour smoked black, his blade and eye's deep as the ocean blue turning him into what he became._  
  
 _A voice called him from the mortal realm and he answered willingly, seeing the Templar drive a sword into the mages chest, and roared at the Templar pushing through to join with the mage, only to find there was another within. He fought the smaller spirit, he fought against his ideal's and passion, nearly killing him. He looks at the mortal mage with his hand's in hers and sees the blue around her, he sees the other he fought and took him within himself._  
  
 _She called out for help, she called for someone to help her when the Warden mages bound her by blood and he answered, pushing through. Then roared at the thing in-front of him. Corypheus. The woman knocked the orb from the twisted Magister's hand, he picked it up, and screamed feeling the fade run through it, making him whole. He was yelling at her to run, pushing her up the slope as the fearlings behind them came closer, he needed to get her out, he needed to get out. He reached out for her, but she smiled sadly, ripped from his grasp, there was nothing he could do as he stepped through the tear._  
  
 _He sees her in his mind every time he closed his eyes, wishing he could see her again. She was unlike any other he has met before. He, loved her. He could not tell her when she looks up him, the hum of the fade and blue within her, singing through his core when he rest's his hand on her shoulder, when she leans on him. He could not take what she had when she loved the other. He would not allow his love for her grow._  
  
  
-Vance opened his eyes looking at the ground below him, panting heavily into it. Nightmare was laughing all around them, mocking them, mocking him. He couldn't look at anyone behind him just looked at the ground and slipped his eyes closed. They saw everything, he saw everything and remembered it all. A tear rolled down his cheek into the wet ground below, they saw everything.  
  
Someone knelt down in-front of him, but he didn't want to look when the other tear's joined the first. Nightmare had gotten to him, he told them it would, but this was not what he was expecting. He had not anticipated the overwhelming emotion's rolling through his core. A hand went on his shoulder and he choked on his sob, feeling Joe's magic sing through him, he just shook his head keeping it lowered so he wouldn't look at her.  
  
"Look at me," she murmured "please."  
  
Vance sucked in a deep breath and slowly lifted his head, "Forgive me," he muttered when he looked at her face, "I-"  
  
Joe nodded her head at him, letting his shoulder go, and he missed the touch again when he sat back on his calves, his hand's on his thigh's. He felt violated, he felt disgusted the fact Nightmare pried his mind apart and forced them all to see, forced him to relive memories long thought forgotten.  
  
"Can we just go kill it now? I'm sick of seeing this shit, let alone listening to Smiley laugh" Varric muttered raising Bianca in-front of him.  
  
Vance nodded head and stood slowly, picking his axe back up. He looked down at Joe and bit his lip when he looked away walking past her. His heart hammered hard in his chest when Faith parted the way for them, more Lessers and Greaters following them. His mind swam with memories pushing forth then back, rippling through him like water over stones.  
  
Faith flickered briefly before them and turned her head when Nightmare roared at them angrily, "Tell Leliana: I'm Sorry, I failed you too." She floated up at Nightmare, then burst in a shower of light, wounding the giant beast. Vance reached out his hand to try and stop her, but it was far too late when Nightmare roared at them again, it's many arm's and leg's flailing at the pain.  
  
They had to get past the beast, there was no-way any of them would survive when Nightmare started attacking them. Vance wrinkled his brow up looking at everyone, he could sacrifice his own life to save them, but who would close the rift's, who would kill Corypheus when he's already judged him?  
  
A tug on his arm made him look down at the red haired dwarf, "Go," the dwarf grinned at him with his axe on his shoulder, "I ain't got nuthin to live for at any rate."  
  
"Neither have I, Herald. My wife is dead, my family are gone. Now leave," Nathaniel nodded at him, "We need to end this beast, and Maker we will!"  
  
Thom shook his head and stepped back from him, "I'm staying too. My second chance at doing something good. Now, piss off."  
  
The Lessers and Greaters set their own charge against Nightmare, giving the mortals time behind them.  
  
Vance nodded his head, still unable to speak and left them too it, carving a way forward for the rest of them to leave. He hears 'For the Warden's' behind him the closer he got to the tear, then looked behind himself. Thom was redeeming himself with them, keeping Nightmare away from them, and felt his arm being tugged and fell through the tear on the other side, leaving the three of them to their fate's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had too. I'm sorry to those who like both Blackwall and Sera, but I had too. Hubbys idea for Sera, sayingit would of been fitting if the Inqy didn't do it in time. And Blackwall, it seemed far more fitting IMHO. Love you Thom I really do, you bushy bearded bugger.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated Relationship Tags.

The camp was silent for once during the night. They were a week away from Skyhold now, making it back in good time with the extra mounts and cart's they took from the ruin's of Adamant, but yet, the camp was silent, only a few people talking quietly into the night. The Warden's where barely anymore, only a handful of warrior's had survived and where following them back to Skyhold. Everyone was mourning the loss of Thom Rainier, mourning the loss of every other Warden they found, but the Warden's would be no more.

Nobody would trust them after this, nobody.  
  
Raven's flew to and fro from the camp well into the night, message's to and from loved one's and families from the Warden's that remained, message's to and from Skyhold telling them everything that happened. Vance looked at the latest one for him and sighed deeply screwing it up in his hand's before tossing it into the fire, he didn't care about some stupid Orlesian ball that was going to happen a few month's from now, they had other thing's to deal with.  
  
He walked slowly back to his tent in nothing but his sleep pants and ran a hand through his hair pushing the tent flap open. Korlen Blade-Breaker, was who he once was, but he was no longer that mortal any more, but his face almost remained the same to who he was once before. He may of kept his height and build, he may of kept the scar's on his body, but that was not who he was when he looked into the looking glass. His hair was black not light brown, his eyes where deep blue not hazel.   
  
Vance ran a finger along the scar over his eye, down his cheek, then the one's over his stomach and chest, reminders of why he wanted vengeance, and sighed deeply.  
  
He's been keeping away from Joe, trying to not look her in the eye when they did run across each other. She wanted to talk to him, but he couldn't, he just couldn't when he sat down at his desk, pulling missive's over to read. Varric cornered him, twice, and they both sat down to talk. He knew the dwarf was concerned about what he learned, about how Vance felt about Joe, but he told Varric it was not going to be a good idea. The dwarf looked him dead in the eye, and told him to pull his thumb out of his arse about it all and walked off in a huff.  
  
Vance put his head in his hand's on the table, everything was so overwhelming right now, he had no idea what to do.  
  
"Vance, can we talk?"  
  
And there was the one thing that was overwhelming him the most, "Joe, I am not in the best frame of mind to talk."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Void, just come in Joe," Vance sighed out sitting back in his chair, "may as well."  
  
Joe let the tent flap close behind her, and he watched her fidget with her finger's when she sat down opposite him. A frown was over her brow, and she sighed out resting her own elbow's on the table putting her head between them, "Your not the only one trying to hide their idiotic feeling's, Vance. Maker and Ancestor's," Joe looked up at him, "why do I like the tall one's?"  
  
He felt the small tug of a smile on his lip's, "I do not know, why do you like the tall one's?"  
  
"Because it's like climbing a tree? Never done that before by the way, not until Kirkwall," Joe chuckled out softly.  
  
"Ahh yes, the tree on the Wounded Coast. The one you fell out from, and Anders had to heal you. But if I recall correctly, you laughed the entire time while Anders and Varric chastised you for being foolish."  
  
Joe bit her lip and looked away, her shoulder's shook as she tried not to laugh then burst out laughing putting her hand's over her face, "It was funny. Oh look, let's find the tallest tree Joe can find, and let's see if she can climb it. Whoops nope, the branch broke at the top, and fell the entire way down laughing like she lost her mind. Yup, was a good day."  
  
"Most certainly was not. Varric was angry with you," Vance chuckled out leaning forward and crossed his arm's, "Anders spent several hour's healing you and Justice was not happy either. I also remember Orran laughing hard at your antic's holding Mutton in his arm's."  
  
Joe nodded her head and looked back at him, "Yeaaah. Freedom, huh, get to do all kinds of stupid thing's."  
  
"Perhaps, but does not mean you should attempt to kill yourself by falling out of a tree."  
  
"Oh I don't know, there's a tree I wouldn't mind climbing right now, and if I fall off it? Well, all the better," she grinned at him before winking.  
  
Vance smirked wide at her, and tilted his head then looked sideway's to the fur's, "A soft landing?"  
  
"Maybe," she smirked back at him then sighed, "Why didn't you say anything you bloody Avvar?"  
  
"Because I was afraid to loose our friendship, Joe. I do not want to loose that no matter how I feel," Vance furrowed his brow and ran a hand down his face, "I wanted to kiss you back in Haven, but, it was not the right time when Corypheus came and well it's been several month's-"  
  
"Oh," Joe muttered looking down at her finger's in her lap.  
  
"I still do," Vance whispered at her, "want to kiss you, I mean."  
  
Joe looked up at him and searched his eyes smiling softly rising out of her chair, walking around the desk and stood in-front of him as he moved in his chair to face her too. Vance cocked his head and smiled softly at her when she stepped forward more, he cupped her face with both his large hand's and they both lent forward to each other. He sighed against her lip's when they kissed chastely, his thumb gently stroking her cheek. He feels Joe's hand's go across his shoulder's to the back of his neck when she step's forward a little between his leg's, and he wrap's the other one around her waist splaying his hand over her back when the kiss becomes less chaste.   
  
He could feel his entire body sing from within, feeling her magic, feeling the blue in her against his skin.  
  
Void, he wanted to pick her up and lay her down on the fur's behind him, feeling the desire roll from the open mouth kissing right down to his groin. He wanted to make love to her, right here, right now, but he wouldn't when he nips at her lip looking at her face. Void, it was beautiful just to feel her hand's wrapped around his neck, to just feel her under his hand's like this, and he slipped his eyes closed running his tongue over her lip's to the small hoop at the corner of her mouth. He remembers when Anders did that for her when he nips at her lip again, he remembers listening to the talks Anders, Justice and she had, when he slip's his tongue inside her mouth earning a soft gasp from her.   
  
He was there for everything, while he raged a war inside Anders against Justice, but he still listened with one ear.  
  
His soft sleep pants where doing nothing to hide how aroused he was right now, when the kiss deepened and they both moaned into it, their tongue's and jaw's working overtime when she moves closer to him. The hand splayed on her back went lower, pulling her forward practically onto his thigh, her hand's scraped his scalp and he moaned at the feeling, breaking the kiss to gently suck on her bottom lip.   
  
Vance kissed down her chin, down to her neck then hissed against it when his pants rubbed him. He hissed again when Joe's leg brushed him and claimed her lip's again, the hand on her back sliding down to her backside and squeezed it gently. Void, he swore he would just come like this when their tongue's slicked against each other again, her breast's pressed against him.  
  
Vance run his tongue across hers one last time before pulling back from the kiss, and opened his eyes to look into hers. Then he smirked slightly nipping her lip again, "I do not want to rush this," he whispers leaning his forehead against her, "I want to take my time, please."  
  
"So do I," Joe murmured carding her hand's through his hair, "I've not been with anyone since- I want to take my time too."  
  
"Even in the abyss of darkness, a light will always find away," he whispers looking into her eyes.  
  
"And a heart of just will be a beacon of hope when the world rock's on its heel's," Joe smiled back at him, "I never forgot her word's, never knew what they meant at the time."  
  
"And now we do," he whispers again smirking slightly.  
  
"Maker, kiss me again."  
  
Vance chuckled softly and smiled against her lip's, "That, I can do, my mortal mage."  
  
"Inspiritor," Joe sighed against his.  
  
*****  
  
Crestwood would only take a few day's to deal with, some of the Inquisition scout's and Cullen's men where already heading to the Exalted Plains to help with the Civil War that ripped through there. Harding was helping a band of Dalish stuck there, reclaiming old rampart's and fort's for the resistance movement. But Crestwood he could do for a few day's as well as Bull's Qun problem on the Storm Coast when he pushed the missive away from him, pulling the now silver capped and finely etched dragon tooth to himself.  
  
Vance ran his finger's over the etched tooth, his finger's grazing over the silver cap and smiled at it. Harritt did a fine job with the silver, and he himself did a fine job etching it in both dwarven, Avvar and Ferelden imagery. Joe was going to love it when he gives it too her. Vance grinned more pushing it away, then covering it with the cloth as a knock on his door interrupted his musing.  
  
"Enter."  
  
"Forgive the intrusion, Inquisitor, but I have more paper work, and the tailor is here for the first fitting for the Winter Palace."  
  
Vance rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair, "Ambassador, I have no such desire to go to this, farce between the Empress and her cousin."  
  
Josephine tapped her board as the tailor entered, "Inquisitor, we have to. We need to stop the assassination of the Empress, and we need to stop the civil war. I know," Josephine nodded at him when he rolled his eyes again, "but we have to do it."  
  
"Fine," Vance threw up his hand's then pushed away from his desk, "But I had better not wear any other colour then black and red, Josephine. We still have two month's do we not, why I need a fitting is beyond me."  
  
"Incase we all get fat on small cake's," she giggled clicking he heels, "Oh, and one more thing-"  
  
Vance wrinkled his nose up at the short man in-front of him when he started measuring, and nodded at Josephine.  
  
"The memorial wall is nearly complete," she muttered dipping her quill in her ink, "we will be having a service two day's from now, for all those that we have lost so far."  
  
"Good. They will not of died in vain, and let them be remembered," Vance smiled at her nodding again.  
  
Josephine left him with the tailor, and he huffed out rolling his eyes as the short man fussed about with his measurement's, humming and hurring every so often, even pulling out his chair to stand on while he measured Vance.  
  
"If you even think about adding ruffles or anything frilly, I will judge you on it," Vance muttered glaring at the man.  
  
"No, no, no I assure you there will be none, ser!"  
  
"Good!"  
  
He let the tailor carry on while he smiled internally to himself. They've only been back a week in Skyhold, but it's been two week's since he and Joe decided to, court, each other. Vance chucked out loud then glared at the tailor when he looked at him, when Joe called him a rather stunning forty five year old, and he smirked again thinking about it. He would forever be etched at that age, though in truth he was much older, not like he cared.  
  
Another knock on his door made him huff out in annoyance when the tailor jumped, "Enter," he shouted then glared at the shorter man again.  
  
A boof then a giggle made it's way up the stair's, Bear grinned wide at him then stopped looking at the tailor at the top of the stair's, "Not you too. He prodded and poked me as well," Bear groused glaring at the tailor walking to the sofa.  
  
"Indeed," Vance sighed out raising his arm's, "and what brings you here Bear and Mutton?"  
  
Bear flopped down on the overstuffed sofa in the room, Mutton trying to jump up next to him, "I'm not happy. I read daddy's letter to me, none of this," he mutters waving his hand's then stopped helping Mutton up on the sofa, "was not what he wanted. Mama said the same thing. I don't understand why they had to kill so many people. Why everyone need to kill each other because of difference's."  
  
Vance furrowed his brow at Bear, the boy was sounding older then his year's then he should, then huffed shaking his head at the tailor, "I believe you have enough measurement's for now, return tomorrow. Now leave us."  
  
The tailor went wide eyed and practically ran from his quarter's. Vance walked over and sat down next to Bear, putting Mutton on his lap when he leaned back crossing one leg over the other, "I know, Bear. It was not his dream. But we cannot help what has come to pass, but we can stop what may happen. The Warden's thought they where doing the right thing, but they where not. They are almost no more, Bear, they cannot hurt other people any more."  
  
"I know, but," Bear huffed and looked up at him, "what if we need them? What if we found a way to stop them hearing that calling? Uncle Alistair said one of the other Warden's felt no taint in him or uncle Aeden."  
  
Vance hummed under his breath, stroking Mutton behind the ear's and over her head, "Perhaps the blood magic stripped it from them? It would not be a true viable solution, Bear, but it is something to ponder. Perhaps without twisting my kind."  
  
"Morrigan might know," Bear muttered.  
  
"And how do you know of that name?"  
  
"Daddy's letter. He wrote about how you and Justice got out of Anders, how Mama saved you both," Bear tilted his head to look up at him and smiled, "that's why you like her, isn't it."  
  
Vance choked slightly on Bear's word's and looked the other way, "That, is not the only reason Bear. But I do not believe you are old enough to understand that, yet."  
  
"I know," the boy giggled laying his head on Vance's leg, "Learning has been helping me with Hope, helping me learn a lot of new thing's. Love, went to Anders. She said he needed it more then I do."  
  
"So now he has Faith and Love? Wonderful," Vance chuckled running his hand over Bear's flaxen hair, "But I understand her reasoning's. She helped you get started, Bear, and now you have   
two guides who can give you more."  
  
"Will you be going to Crestwood, Vance?" Bear asked him quietly playing with a ring around his neck and Vance tilted his head, and recognised it, the same one Joe still wore on her finger.  
  
"I will be, with a few other's, and then back to the Storm Coast for Bull. I will not be taking you mother nor you with me, but it will not be no more then two week's to do both. Why?"  
  
Bear frowned up at him then down to the ring around his neck, "I, left something there. I forgot to pack it when we left. It belonged to daddy, and, it might be gone now. His staff."  
  
Vance slipped his eyes closed, remembering the staff Hawke had. Hummed with force and lightening when he used it, tipped with it's red crystal and bladed base. "You wish for me to find it for you? I will, Bear, when I go there after the memorial wall service, I promise you that."  
  
"Thank you," Bear smiled at him, "It was under the floor board's. We put it there with uncle Anders old staff and uncle Fenris' sword. They don't want them back, but, I want daddy's staff so I can practice with it."  
  
"I thought you do not like using a staff?"  
  
Bear sighed and shifted to lay on his back to look up at him more, "I don't, but I liked that one. I can still have my dagger's, and I can use that too. Thank you for them, Vance, I like them and the armour. Cole's been teaching me how to use them and how to slip into the shadow's with out magic. Mama can do that too."  
  
"I, did not know that," Vance cocked his head, "Do you know when she started doing fire magic?"  
  
"The bow," Bear grinned up at him, "helps her remember. She can slip into the shadow's with magic, she can do fire and other thing's. It's helping her remember who the dwarves where before. That's how Mama can listen to the stones around her more, how I can hear them too."  
  
He remembers through Anders when she picked up the bow, running her finger's over the rune's that glowed just for her and not Varric. A bow unlike any other they have ever found over the year's, a bow he has never seen wielded even in the fade. Vance hummed under his breath and smiled down at Bear, "You two are very special. Will always be special. Do not let anyone tell you other wise."  
  
"Thank you. Stay away from Solas, I don't like him," Bear mutters playing with his ring again, "he pulled me into a dream without Mama there and scared me. If he had hair, he wouldn't have any more."  
  
Anger rolled up in Vance, that was the forth time the elven mage has done that, "What did he do, Bear?"  
  
"He wanted me to show him how I can hear the stones. Then he got mad at me when I told him me and Mama can hear Skyhold and I wouldn't show him how," Bear flopped his hand's down and looked back up at him and a slow grin went over his face, "Mama hit him when I told her. It was funny."  
  
"Good to know," Vance smirked down at the boy, running his hand over the flaxen hair again, "He will not be doing it again, I presume," Bear shook his head, "Good. Now, should you not be with Anders or your mother, Bear?"  
  
"Not right now. Mama's doing her running around Skyhold for everyone. She's going to be in the pub later, though, for dinner. Uncle Anders is busy still healing the Warden warrior's that came back with you. Uncle Alistair wants to take them with him when he leaves."  
  
Vance nodded his head. That would be for the best if the remaining Warden's went with him and Aeden. But Bear was right, what if there was another blight and there where no Warden's to vanquish it? There had to be a better way then drinking Darkspawn blood to fend of the creature's, there had to be.  
  
"Then perhaps me and you could spar together before we eat later?" Vance smiled down at the boy.  
  
*****  
  
There where already many name's on the memorial wall, many good men and woman dying in the service of the Inquisition. Far too many name's, far too many people loosing loved one's, loosing husband's, wives, children, brother's and sister's, and they where no where near done yet.  
  
Vance looked at each and every single name plaque, each and every single one as was a reminder to everyone else in Skyhold. Each name would be remembered, each name will not of died in vain, each one will strengthen them. But several name's hurt the most looking at: Thom Rainier, Sera of Red Jenny, Oghren, Nathaniel Howe.  
  
Three gave their lives to get him, Joe and Varric to safety, three who died against Nightmare. Solas and Feynriel said they had not survived, but neither did Nightmare, having the onslaught of the twisted and the other three killing it and his judgement he passed. But they had not survived. Sera dying to protect her people, taking herself out along with the man who set them up with a flask of fire. Vance hoped no more name's of people they all knew well would end up there. Aeden Cousland and Alistair Theirin were almost added but they had survived their grievous wound's, taint free, and will be heading back to Redcliffe soon with the remaining Grey Warden warrior's, to mourn the losses.  
  
But it still hurt seeing so many name's upon the wall, so many lost due to Corypheus, the Red Templars and the last remaining Venatori.  
  
Vance ran his hand over Thom's name then tucked the pristine Gryphon feather into the plaque, then bowed his head a put his hand on his chest in respect to the man. He wanted a second chance, and that he did, to redeem himself. Thom's warnug mount was given to Bear, to which the boy was overjoyed, then he cried against it, mourning the loss of his friend. Even Hammer mourned his old rider, putting his head on Bear when the boy cried against him.  
  
"You want me to come with you? But I thought-"  
  
"Fiona, mother, yes I want you to come back with us. We, really have a lot to catch up on as it is!"  
  
Vance walked away from the memorial and cocked his head listening to the conversation near the barn.  
  
"I would be honoured, your majesty."  
  
"Makers breath, I'm your son! You can stop calling me that any time you want," Alistair chuckled wrapping his good arm around the elven woman.  
  
Fiona blushed and hugged Alistair hard, resting her head on his chest, "I wish I never gave you up, but I had no choice but too, Alistair."  
  
"I know. We're going to change all that. The Inquisition will change that with our blessing," Alistair grinned as he looked at Vance and nodded his head, "No-one will be denied basic rights of living free, loving and marrying who ever they damned well please. And that applies to mages, mother."  
  
Vance smiled and dipped his head at Alistair and Fiona, "It was Hawke's dream to see mages live like anyone else. We will not deny that to any mage whom wishes it. To any who wish to   
live free."  
  
"Just have to get past the sodding chantry rubbish first. Even so, I'm king of Ferelden," Alistair grinned even more then wrinkled his nose up to move his eyepatch about, "and this, is already annoying me! How the bloody Iron Bull deals with it, I have no idea."  
  
"I think it adds character, pike twirler."  
  
Aeden grins kissing Alistair's cheek and Vance had to look away, saying his farewell's to all three of them. He walked off up the stair's, past the upper bailey and through the training ground buzzing with spar's. He went to the newly named 'The Hawke's Eyrie,' the new name for the mage and Templar tower's. He approved the name along with Joe and Bear, knowing that Orran would of approved as well. The mages and Templars were getting on well together still, Bear and the other mage children left went there to learn from both side's. Yes, Orran would be proud of what was happening there, and what will happen after Corypheus was dealt with. All they needed now was a Divine sympathetic enough to allow changes that needed to happen.  
  
But first-  
  
Vance walked through the great hall to his quarters, bounded up the stair's and smiled at the setting sun pouring through the stained glass, painting the floor's with blue and red. He needed to pack before he left tomorrow, but right now, he wanted to enjoy the setting sun while he lent on the balcony. He had a wonderful dinner with Joe and Bear again, Anders, Fenris and Varric joining them. It, almost felt like old time's, but yet it wasn't. He was inside Anders when they shared meal's together with Orran.   
  
No, he didn't want to think about that right now, and smiled thinking about Joe's face when he gave her the tooth. Void, she was so shocked when he handed it over wrapped in red cloth, commenting she's never been given anything so beautiful before. And the kiss after giving it to her, was beautiful too, in the garden's with her leg's wrapped around his waist as he pinned her to the tree. They chuckled at the height difference again before he picked her up, but it didn't matter when they kissed, it would never matter. Vance sighed deeply looking down at the snow packed valley's and people coming to Skyhold along the new road that was added to the Imperial Highway. Skyhold was home, he didn't want to be anywhere else, and neither did Joe and Bear, they all wanted to remain after it was all dealt with.  
  
"Are you brooding? I hope not, don't want you out brooding Fenris or Cassandra," Joe chuckles from behind him.  
  
"I do not brood. Mope perhaps, rage a little and maybe occasionally want to throw the Orlesian nobles and Solas from the balcony. But I do not brood."  
  
Joe stood next to him snickering looking down as well, "Mmm Hmm. He's not brooding he says, just contemplating life, and Solas' bald head."  
  
"Joe, you are a terrible person, I do no contemplate Solas' head. Though, it does get rather shiny at time's, does it not?"  
  
"So you HAVE been looking. I knew it," Joe mocks looking shocked with her hand on her heart and one over her mouth, then bursts out laughing, "I'm not terrible at all. Just speaking my mind."  
  
Vance shook his head at her wrapping an arm around her shoulder, pulling her next to him more and sighed out feeling the blue in her, "I thought you and Bear where going through Varric's letter's again?"  
  
"Ugh, we were. Had four more letter's from Sebastian, profusely apologising again. I just threw them in the fire as usual. Varric sent me off while he entertains Bear and everyone else with bloody stories."  
  
"And so, you came found me? I am flattered," Vance chuckled looking down at Joe, who was smirking up at him, "Should I be worried you came found me?"  
  
Joe shook her head and pulled away from him, "You haven't looked on your bed yet, have you?"  
  
"No, I have not," Vance frowned down at her, then looked over to his bed. His mouth fell open at the axe laying on it, Vance's eyes looking at every detail: The blade's on the double headed axe where shaped like dragons head's with their mouth's open, small teeth mimicking the dragons larger one's. The pommel had another tooth capped in the same metal as the blade's. The entire thing was Obsidian, the haft wrapped in dark blue, the dragons eyes flecked with red.  
  
"Joe, this-" Vance shook his head and looked back at her, a huge grin going over his face, "How, I-" his word's just vanished when he picked her up and kissed her cheek.  
  
Joe giggled when he hugged her tight, "Maker and Ancestor's, I asked Harritt if he'd help me with it when you found the schematic. The teeth were Bear's idea."  
  
"Joe, I can never repay you for this," Vance bit his lip then grinned whispering in her ear, "But I will try, when I return though."


	14. Chapter 14

Joe flicked her wrist again, finishing up the reply for Shaperate Cadash. Varric pushed another letter over to her, and Joe sighed internally at it, but ignored it pushing the reply away to write the other letter to Orzammar. King and Lord Bhelen said no piece's of the Anvil survived, but they did try and recreate it, to no success. Using spirits of the fade to use instead of dwarven soul's.   
  
Maker and Ancestor's, Joe was pissed about that, but they destroyed the new Anvil, deeming the entire thing a waste of time and resource's. Waste of time, they abused fucking spirits just to see if it would work! Shaperate Cadash was not happy when he learned that, neither was Shayle. Vance wouldn't be happy either when he gets back.  
  
"Bard, you can't ignore it."  
  
"I know that," Joe snapped at him then frowned flicking her wrist again, pushing the pen nib harder then it needed to be into the parchment. She really didn't want to have to deal with THAT letter right now, then groan's at the huge ink splat forming on the parchment.  
  
"Maker fuck it all," she mutters under her breath screwing the ruined parchment up, then threw it into the fire, "Varric, I really don't want to have to deal with it."  
  
"Your gonna have too," Varric sing-songed out grinning.  
  
Joe shoots him a glare pulling the letter over to her. She really really didn't want to have to deal with the bloody formal letter from fucking Bran. Sod that arsehole. Joe tries to glare hole's in it when Anders sits down next to Varric, and she can hear him clucking his tongue at her face while Varric sighed out loud.  
  
"You can shut the hell up as well," Joe snapped at him too.  
  
"HEY! I just sat down! Andraste's bouncing tit's, Joe, stop being so snappy and read the damned letter!" Anders rolled his eyes at her shaking his head.  
  
Joe lifted her head slowly to glare at her best friend, the shook her head pushing away from the table, "Has nothing to do with- And fuck you up the arse- just shut your damned mouth."  
  
"Whoa whoa whoa whoa, calm down. Just sit back down Bard, and Blondie go get us a drink, or ten. Maferaths ball's."  
  
Joe stood there looking over at the empty throne on the dais calming her mind down. She could hear Anders sigh out when he left to go get drinks from the tavern, but Maker, she didn't mean to snap at him when she sat down again. She's been on edge since Vance left a week prior, and she has absolutely no idea why. It's not the poxy letter staring at her from the table, to which she just glares back at, still trying to burn hole's in it. No, something else was pricking her nerves, both hers and Bear's.  
  
"Shit," Joe mumbles out putting her head in her hand's looking straight into the fire next to Varric, "Sorry. I just, I just feel frayed, that's all."  
  
"I know Bard, I know. Hey," Varric grins out at her motioning with his head to one side, "look who's here."  
  
"Chief wants me to, ugh, wants me to talk to you."  
  
Joe blinks her eyes tilting her head back to see Krem standing there fidgeting with his armour and Joe shakes her head at him, "Makers nut's, just sit down Krem."  
  
Krem sat down opposite Varric, shaking his head looking down at his hand's, "Yeah, so," Krem heaves a sigh looking sideway's at Joe, "Fenris wants to join the Charger's, I don't blame him to be honest. Chief wont say no to someone like him at the moment. I mean, it'll do him good."  
  
Joe nod's her head at him in agreement. Would be perfect for Fenris to join them when they go hunting, and especially with the Qun shit that would need to be dealt with soon. But Joe could tell there was something else, "I feel a but in there?"  
  
"Um, so, look I know you and- and I kind of- yup, this is going great."  
  
"Fuck sake Krem, spit it out. We all know you like Joe," Anders chuckled putting two jug's of mead on the table, "Oh, did I say that out loud?"  
  
Joe slides down in her seat hiding her face behind her hand's while Krem, stares dagger's at Anders his own face going bright red. Well bugger me, Joe thinks when she looks up at the roof, of all the thing's to happen to her, she had two fucking people after her, at the same time!  
  
"That's what Bull was on about? Oh Krem," Joe muttered looking at the man, "that's sweet. But, um well... just come with me."  
  
Krem frowned at her and Joe could see he was, hurt. Joe motioned with her head for him to follow her, leaving both Varric and Anders looking at her with confusion, but Joe narrowed her eyes at them both and took Krem's hand walking them both out of the great hall, down the step's heading towards the Herald's Rest. Joe tugged on his hand more and sighed internally feeling his palm's getting damp against hers, "Krem, I'm not the one you want," she murmur's when they stop.  
  
"Yeah I do."  
  
"No, you don't," Joe side eyes over to Bull sitting on his own, "I think you two need to sit down and talk."  
  
Krem's eyes go wide looking over Joe's face then over to Bull then back to Joe, "But- he's the Chief, our boss!"  
  
"As if that mattered. Go tell him Krem and stop bloody hiding behind everything else. You two are as bad as each other."  
  
Joe softly smile's at him letting go of his hand and walked out the tavern going back the great hall. That's one thing down, just the poxy letter from Bran, and ugh, the Winter Palace dress to go. Dress, Joe didn't want to wear a dress when she sits back down with Varric and Anders, pulling over the jug of mead and a tankard pouring herself a healthy amount. She smirked at the other two and drank half the content's before sighing out loud, "Don't ask, you two will find out later."  
  
She pulled over the letter and smiled when Bear tugged on her sleeve, "There you are. I thought you and Clemence where doing salves today."  
  
"He was, but was more interested in eating the Elfroot, then making anything with it," Anders chuckles out.  
  
Bear wrinkled his nose up, sticking his tongue out at Anders then picked up the letter from the table, "Shush! You going to open this?"  
  
"Oh not you too. I already know what it's going to say, Bear. It's only taken, what, five sodding year's for Bran to bloody do it! I don't want all that money I really don't," Joe muttered slipping the ring off her finger staring at it, "Seven hundred and fifty thousand sovereign's. What in the Makers name am I going to do with that?"  
  
*****  
  
"Anders, when we get this new Divine, and let's hope shes sympathetic to both mages and freedom of people being sodding people. Would you and Fenris officially marry?"  
  
Anders snickered wrapping his arm around Joe's shoulder when they walk over the bridge to the snow pack valley beyond, nodding to both pilgrim's and trader's alike going to Skyhold. Mutton ran ahead with Bear, giggling and yipping at each other, and Joe smiled at her son. He really was the light of her life.  
  
"Damn right we will. And I want a pretty dress too."  
  
Joe nudged him then wrinkled her nose up giggling, "Not white, I think that ship sailed LONG ago."  
  
"Oh that was low, even for you, Joe," Anders slapped her shoulder pulling away, "No, I was thinking of something utterly daring. Tevinter style. Well with Fenris' approval of course."  
  
Joe nodded her head wrapping her arm around Anders waist walking further into the valley. Dress, why wasn't she surprised he wanted a dress, he had too bloody many as it was, but it would definitely suit their unconventional way of life. Not like her life wasn't unconventional as it was with Orran. She already knew Orran wasn't the best of people, he was still trying to work himself out of them while they had their remaining time together. Nugs ball's, they really didn't spend much time together as it was, barely even two full year's as a couple out of the seven they knew each other, but he was her first love. Joe looked down at the ring on her finger and sighed again, spinning it around, thinking.  
  
"Hey," Anders stopped her and took both her shoulder's, stilling her finger's on her ring, "stop thinking about that. Nah ah, I know exactly what your thinking about, and he'd want you to be happy. Yeah I know I wasn't the best of people either, Fenris helped me change that, and with Faith and Love helping me, I feel better then I've done in a very long time. Joe, just," Anders sighed resting his forehead on hers, "just be happy. You have Bear, you have me, Fen and Varric, and you have Vance."  
  
Joe wrinkled up her brow and sighed again, "I know, I, I just- Bugger it all, I'm trying."  
  
"You do like him right? I mean, I knew Justice liked you, had no idea the grumpiest of all spirits did too," he chuckled at her kissing her forehead, "I've seen the way you look at him, how he looks at you too. Joe, if there ever where two people who were meant to be together, it's you two."  
  
Joe blushed ducking her head, then rested it on Anders feather pauldron, "I do like him," she sighed again and bit her lip before continuing, "a lot. More then I should. I know Orran was my first real taste at love, he wasn't the best of people, but he was our people. And now a second chance? Two people having a second chance at this? I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. But damn Anders," Joe chuckled and whispered in his ear, "his kissing is so fucking hot you have no idea."  
  
"No other steamy bit's yet?"  
  
Joe shook her head, "No, biding time. But shit, I want it. Maker do I want it."  
  
"Has been five year's now, sweetheart. Self help only goes so far, better with two. Oh and try not to scream Skyhold down, I know how loud you got with Hawke," Anders snickered side stepping a slap from Joe.  
  
"Says the scream queen himself!"  
  
"MAMA, UNCLE ANDERS! Come see this!"  
  
Joe grinned wide at him when they went to go see what Bear found, Anders muttering curses under his breath at her, but grinning none the less. Joe cocked her head where he was pointing, and looked up. A small cave was hidden behind a snow covered rock. She took both Anders and Bear's hand while Mutton ran off ahead, her tongue lolling out of her mouth, then boofed loudly at the cave entrance. Joe flicked her wrist to summon her wisp, lighting the way as they walked through the mouth. It looked like someone had been living there, but not recently judging by the skeletal remains.  
  
A bed roll, several pack's, a staff and many book's dotted the place, Ancestor's Joe felt sorry for whoever this was, they must of starved to death here. But why, Skyhold was right there?  
  
Bear picked up one of the book's, then threw it down wrinkling his nose up, "Blood magic," he muttered kicking it away.  
  
"Wait, Bear. Don't set on fire just yet. Who ever this was came out here for a reason to study in private."  
  
"Mama, it's blood magic!"  
  
Joe nodded and nudged the book over, tilted her head and bent down to look at it closer. Yes it was blood magic, but yet, "I think we should take these back with us. This, doesn't look like the one's that bind beings to one's self." Anders took the book from the ground looking it over, flicking through some of it's pages, "She's right Bear, this, is nothing untoward at all. And there seems to be a journal."  
  
Joe let him deal with the book's and pack's, while she watched Bear look at a staff near the remains. She looked at Bear stand next to it, then blinked at how short the staff was. Just shorter then the one's elven mages used, and far too short for humans. Joe left Anders to look at the staff more, feeling nothing untoward coming from it, and ran her hand over it while Bear watched.  
  
"Holy shit," she muttered picking it up, "it's, dwarven." Joe looked down at the remains, motioning for her wisp to come nearer, "And so who ever this is! I think we need to tell Cassandra and Varric what we found. Whomever this is, deserves a cairn. We can't leave them here like this."  
  
"A dwarven mage? Like you two," Anders gasped out looking at her then at the remains, "I'll go get Cassandra and take this lot with me."  
  
Joe nodded her head at him when he dashed out from the cave, then watched her son kneel down to the remains. He brushed his finger's over the skull and shook his head, "Mama, they were sad when they died. They were like us, half-dwarf, but alone. They didn't have anyone to help them."  
  
Joe knelt down next to Bear and put her hand on the cave wall, and sighed nodding her head, "Poor bugger. Well, they will have us to make them happy. We will give them a cairn, and give them both rights in human, and dwarva." Joe wrinkled her brow and nodded, "This is why we've been feeling uneasy bear, they've been trying to reach out to us," she held the staff out in her hand's.  
  
Bear nodded his head and took the staff from her, running his finger's down the smooth shaft to the blue crystal at the top, "It's a healing staff mama," he smiled sadly handing it back to her, "Can I have it?"  
  
"Bear, we have to give something back. We can't take all the time."  
  
"I know. I, I asked Vance to try and find daddy's staff. Can we add the crystals together to make one?," Bear frowned taking the staff back looking down at the remains, "I know what I can give back."  
  
Bear looked down at the dragon tooth amulet around his neck then back up at her, "I want to give them this."  
  
"Bear, are you sure?"  
  
"Yes mama."  
  
*****  
  
Joe sat with Bear, Varric and Feynriel reading the books they found. The unknown half-dwarf remains were buried under the cairn with Bear's amulet, laying it on-top of the remains. Varric had laid the last piece, even placed a bolt from Bianca under the last stone, then said the dwarva right for the dead while Cassandra said the chantry version. Whoever this dwarf was, was afraid to come into Skyhold incase they weren't going to be welcome. Joe's heart hurt reading through the journal, they where shunned and ostracised for what they were. Maker and Ancestor's, it hurt Varric reading it too, looking at both herself and Bear every now and again, wiping his face, shunned and ostracised over a century ago.  
  
But now, they were reading through the book's, on both blood magic and lyrium impurity in other magic. Joe was nodding her head reading through the later, she couldn't drink lyrium without feeling sick, but yet she was a mage. Partial immunity to lyrium and it's affects like most dwarves, Bear inherited that too. But who ever this dwarf was, had managed to find a way around all that using blood magic without binding something too them.  
  
"They used it to heal, to mend wound's like a spirit healer," Feynriel muttered showing Joe the passage, "this is what it used to be before the Vint's ruined it."  
  
"Makes me wonder, if we can't use this to help the remaining Warden's to free themselves from the taint. Because it says here," Joe point's to another passage, "that it can be used to cleanse a corruption."  
  
Feynriel wrinkled his nose up and shook his head, "Do you really want to try that? I don't fancy seeing if it work's."  
  
"They were a half-dwarf mage, Feynriel. Like me and Bear, drinking lyrium is not an option, we have a lot of mana as it is. But yeah, I, don't think I want to tread down that path, just incase."  
  
"You also don't wanna give other dwarves idea's they can do this shit, not after the whole Anvil thing" Varric muttered, "I think we should keep this between us."  
  
"I agree. But it's still a shame we have no name for our friend out there. But maybe they should serve as a reminder, that all shouldn't be shunned or ostracised for what they are. You know, I really am getting sick and tired of seeing this shit," Joe sighed out through her nose pushing the book away, "people can't be people without someone slinging crap at them for being different."  
  
Bear lent on her arm and smiled up at her, Joe kissed his head then sighed out on it. Mutton was curled up in his lap, the new staff was in his room waiting for Vance to come back so they could work on putting the two staff's together as one. Would be fitting to be honest, force, lightening and healing, just like his father, red and blue. Joe shook her head and started to spin the ring on her finger again thinking about Vance. They'll be back soon, having to deal with a problem with Cole that crept up at the last moment.  
  
Bear yawned on her arm making Joe chuckle kissing his head again, "I do believe, little Bear, it's time for bed."  
  
"I'll deal with this Joe," Feynriel snickered, gathering the book's up, "When my Vhenan gets back, I can show him all this. I think he's going to be very surprised."  
  
"Leave the journal one out, I want to read that one in bed. I want to at least try and find out who they were," Joe nodded to Feynriel taking Mutton from his lap to put her on the floor, then picked her son and the book.  
  
Joe hummed under her breath as she walked out the great hall to her quarters, Mutton yawned wide and whined up at her, "I know, I'm sorry. You can go back to sleep when we get there, little one." Mutton yawned again in agreement. They walked slowly through the bailey, past the Herald's rest, Bear's head lolling on her shoulder's. Joe quietly chuckled kissing him on his flaxen hair again, Mutton nudging her leg and Joe sighed down at her, "I have my hand's full you sleepy pup!"  
  
Joe pushes the door to their quarters open, letting Mutton's in first and yawned loud into the room herself. Joe yawned again tucking her son in bed, Mutton curling up by his side, and stumbled off to her room. She slowly started to strip of her light clothing, dropping them onto the floor walking over to her bed. Joe hummed quietly crawling over the sheet's, feeling how soft they where under her finger's and hummed again when she laid on her back. The bed, for some reason felt too full, and put her hand out next to her-  
  
"Hello."  
  
"COLE!" Joe squealed nearly falling of the bed, and flicked her wrist for her wisp, "What-When? What are you doing here?"  
  
"I feel better now," he smiled at her, his hat was on her night stand while he sat crossed leg leaning up against the wall, "No more hurt, pain, stabbing in the dark. Light enough to slip away, small, quiet, I can still help."  
  
Joe frowned at him then at the thing on his chest, "Cole, what's that?"  
  
"Stop's the hurt. They wont take me any more. They wont have me. Now I'm free."  
  
"Oh, your unbound?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Joe nodded her head, pulling her covers up more when she sat up, leaning against the headboard, "Does that mean, you'll be leaving, Cole?"  
  
Cole blinked at her, cocking his head to one side, "She's happy. Happy and bright, like the sun. You put her to rest. No more quiet in the dark, crying, sad, alone. Blue and red on the floor, they don't like me."  
  
"You, mean the half-dwarf we buried?" Joe asked him and he nodded and smiled, "Good. Do you know why she didn't want to come here, Cole?"  
  
"She was afraid. They wont like me. Ugly and small. Nobody liked me. Sitting in the dark, fist's held tight. I can heal, I can help. Nobody wanted her. She thought there where people living here. But it was empty, like she was."  
  
Joe slipped her eyes closed and sighed out through her mouth, she knew what that felt like.  
  
"Not anymore, your bright too," Cole smiled at her when she looked at him, "I want to stay. Hurts to heal."  
  
When Joe blinked, he was gone, and so was his hat from the night stand, all except a single flower in a small pot. Yellow and bright, like the sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The small yellow flower, was from the first part in the series. Yellow and bright like the sun, was Orrans musings over Joe to what she would become.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They finally get it on.

"Do we have a name for her yet?"  
  
"Yes Inquisitor, apparently her name was Vilne Ortan. Varric and Harritt are preparing a stone to be placed with her cairn. A message has been sent to Orzammar to the last surviving member of House Ortan about her ancestor."  
  
Vance nodded at Josephine and looked back down at the small cairn. People had already started laying small item's around the cairn and under the memorial wall. It was heart warming to see that everyone was remembering them, remembering the half-dwarf who died in the cave, alone. But they would never be alone ever again when Vance knelt down placing his own item next to the cairn. A small wooden gryphon carving he found while he was in Crestwood. He was going to lay it under Oghren's name, but when he found out about the half-dwarf Joe, Bear and Anders found, he decided to lay it with them.  
  
Vance sighed deeply looking about himself, the entire of Skyhold buzzing with activity as usual, people selling wares to new nobles coming and going, Cullen's men leaving, Leliana's raven's flying over head. He shook his head slightly going up the step's to the great hall, he was feeling lonely walking through the place. He missed Joe and Bear something rotten being away these past few week's, coming back late last night with the other's from the Storm Coast. Cole vanished after being unbound, not that Vance blamed him, he knew he'd probably went to tell Joe and Bear.  
  
Bah, the whole Qun thing was a disaster to say the least. Save the dreadnought or save Bull's Chargers. Was no contest on that account, he would not sacrifice Bull's men for no-one, not even for an alliance with the Qunari. Bull didn't need them even if he was Tal-Vashoth now, not that it mattered, he had the Inquisition to be at home with. He had Krem. Vance snickered at that, both of them finally admitting their feeling's for each other when Krem ran up the slope, dropping his maul on the ground then getting swept of his feet by Bull.  
  
But, at least he managed to find Orran's old staff at the burnt down farmstead for Bear. The thing was waiting in his room, even if it is a little singed around the edge's but still fully functional. Though Solas couldn't wield the thing, it just would not work for him when he tried to make sure it was functional, and neither could Dorian. Must be attuned to Hawke's blood, Dorian surmised admiring the blood red crystal and silver blade. But Vance knew the staff was fine when he closed his quarters door behind him.  
  
Vance sighed again, taking his vest off dropping it on the sofa before he sat on it, taking his boot's and socks off. He sighed again pushing up and out of the sofa, walking slowly over to the balcony, and slipped his eyes closed when he stood there with his arm's crossed over his chest, letting the cool air ruffle his hair.  
  
His mind wandered as he tilted his head upward, not hearing the tray being placed on the table, but he smiled wide feeling a pair of hand's wrap around him from behind, Joe's forehead pressed against his back.  
  
"Hey you," she murmurs against it.  
  
"Hey you," he murmurs back putting his hand's over hers, "I wondered where you had gotten too."  
  
Joe snorts pressing a kiss against his back, sending gooseflesh over his skin, "Sorry, been busy with Anders, Bear and Clemence in the clinic. Restocking, cleaning, making everything from scratch, you know, the usual."  
  
"I have Orran's staff. But, I hear Bear has a new one from the Half-dwarf mage."  
  
Joe pulls away from him making him frown at the loss of touch, "He wants them both. Combining both crystals and blade to make a new staff," she smiles up at him when she leans on the railing, "even gave up his enchanted dragon tooth amulet for it."  
  
"Is Bear not with you?" Vance leans on the railing too, putting his hand on her shoulder just for some sort of contact, brushing his thumb gently down her neck.  
  
"No, busy in the Eyrie showing off. Will be for a few hour's," Joe chuckles, then sighs out leaning against him, "I bought food up, if your hungry."  
  
"I am," Vance smirked sliding his hand under Joe's loose shirt to her shoulder, slipping it off slightly, "but not for food."  
  
Joe looked up at him, a blush going over her cheek's down her neck and he couldn't help bite his lip and she mouth's 'oh'. Vance bit his lip more pushing away from the railing, his hand still on her shoulder as he moves in-front of her, his thumb brushing over her collar bone, her shirt slipping more down her arm. He slowly licked his lips, then ran his tongue over the edge of his top teeth ripping Joe's shirt open, the button's flying everwhere and grinned when she glares up at him.  
  
"Take too much time un-doing them," he grinned more stepping away, "besides," he stepped away more feeling his leathers get tight, "I want to admire the view."  
  
Joe wrinkled her nose up at him slipping out of the now ruined shirt, letting it pool in the floor then leans back against the balcony looking over his chest, "I could say the same thing. And what a view it is."  
  
"Shame, there seems to be something in the way, obstructing my viewing pleasure," he grins even more stepping back even further, "I, just cannot put my finger on what though."  
  
He watches Joe look down at her self, and slowly back up at him, her eyebrow cocked, "Oh you mean this?" she smirk's tugging on her breast band lace un-doing it, letting it drop onto  
the floor.  
  
"No, no, that's not it."  
  
"What ever could you mean then?" Joe raises both eyebrows at him looking down, "I seem to be in the same predicament you are. Bare chested, wearing only pants."  
  
Vance tilted his head to one side, tapping his chin with one hand, the other resting on his hip, "That, might be it. Perhaps we should, remedy that."  
  
Void, were his leathers getting more tight watching Joe slowly walk into the room, her hand's resting in her hips, humming under her breath as her breasts bounced with each step. He bit his lip again, dropping his hand's to his sides and moved slowly to her as she came towards him. His heart was hammering hard in his chest when he rested his hand's on her shoulders, both thumbs brushing her lower jaw down her neck, his breathing getting harsh and hard when she looks up at him.  
  
Vance slowly walked backwards, pulling Joe with him towards the bed. He couldn't take it anymore, he just couldn't when the back of his leg's hit the bed. He pushed her away slightly before leaning down to pick her up by the waist, Joe's arm's sliding around his neck to his hair. Vance ran his tongue over her lips, then nipped at them when she wrapped her leg's around him. He ran his tongue down her neck to the juncture on her shoulder, gently biting down on it turning around so he could lay her on the bed. Joe moaned tilting her head so he could bite down more, her hips bucking against him.  
  
He bit down even harder marking her as his, crawling up the bed more with Joe clinging onto him, her nail's scraping against his scalp making him buck against her. Vance licks away the sting, tasting the tang of blood on her neck and in his mouth while he unbuttons Joe's pants, slipping them down her hips then grins against her neck when he feels no smalls under them. Joe bucks against him again when he dips his hand between her legs, and groans against her neck feeling how wet she was on his finger's. It's been a very long time since he's even done anything like this, when he slip's his hand out of her pants to lean up, a very long time.  
  
Vance grit's his teeth and hisses through them, un-lacing his own pants almost freeing himself from them, earning a soft gasp from Joe when he looks down at her. She's looking straight at his bulge, her eyes going wide, and he can't help but smirk when he slides of the bed, pulling them down achingly slow over his hips. Her pupils where getting wider and wider the lower he goes and bites his lip when they slip down over his leg's then step's out of them, crawling back on the bed between her leg's.  
  
"You still seem to be over dressed, sweetling," he murmurs tugging on her pant leg's, "and here I am," he grins again looking down at himself, "not wearing a thing."  
  
Joe blushes even more, her eyes roaming over every inch of him while she slips out of her own pants. He grabs them when she gets to her calves and yanks them off, letting them fly off into the room somewhere. He runs his tongue over his teeth again looking deep into her eyes as he lays on his side next to her, his leg tangling with hers, his cock laying heavily against her leg. He licks his lips wetting them cupping her face with one hand, the other sliding under her shoulders then claims her lips gently, his thumb brushing over her cheek. He leans over her a little more, slipping his leg between her legs, his cock achingly hard against her when he licks across her lips again. Joe moans a little when he slides his tongue in her mouth, his hand leaving her face, tracing down her neck to her collar bone to her breast.  
  
Vance's hand cups her, his thumb going over her nipple, her other breast pushed against his chest, and he moans into the kiss feeling her hand brush his cock on her leg, and deepensthe kiss more. Their tongues fighting for dominance against each other, slicking, sliding, teasing the other. He leaves her breast, going down her body, his hand going over her hip giving it a squeeze before slipping between her legs again.  
  
Joe groans in his mouth when he slides his fingers then palm against her mound, her fingers tightening around his cock, and he couldn't help groan into the kiss either feeling her hand wrapped around him, going down his shaft to his root then back up slowly. Void take it all, it was beautiful when he dipped two fingers into her slowly, hearing the low moan from her when she broke the kiss, pushing her head back arching her neck for him. He licked down her lips and chin to her neck again, his palm pressed against her mound moving his fingers in and out of her, Joe's hand around his cock slowly stroking it even more harder then it's ever been. Vance bit down on her neck again, groaning against it feeling his fingers get slick being in her, moving just a little faster.  
  
He opens his eyes running his tongue up her neck to her chin then nips at it fastening his pace on her with his fingers, Joe's hand stroking him just as fast, and he groans against the side of her face, slipping his eyes closed again. Vance mutters 'fuck' against the side of Joe's face then tugs on her earring with his teeth, rocking his hips into her hand slipping his fingers free from her to her mound, rubbing it in time with his roll. Joe licks the side of his face to his ear, breathily saying, "I love you," into it, and Vance groans even more rolling his hips into her hand hard before biting down on her shoulder, even harder.  
  
His fingers leave her mound, slipping into her again, he wants to hear her cry out for him, call his name as he moves his fingers faster in her, he wants to moan out her name coming in her, rolling his hips more. He grips her hair with the hand under her shoulder, pulling her head back more panting harshly on her shoulder, then nips and licks all the way to her lips before slipping his tongue hard into her mouth, leaning over her more. His hips snapped faster in her hand, snapping hard and fast in time with his fingers in her, his tongue pushing deep into her mouth.  
  
Joe's free hand grip's his shoulder hard digging her nail's in when she comes around his fingers, feeling her magic flow through him. Vance growls low in his throat pushing his tongue even deeper into her mouth, his hand gripping her hair tight when he slips his hand free from her, taking her hand from his cock. He breaks away from the kiss leaning over her more, his leg's slipping between hers spreading them with his knees, then rolled his hips over her mound. "I love you," he mutters in her ear rolling his hips again, "Void do I love you," he pants out pulling her head back more. Vance grits his teeth slipping into her wetness and moans out loud dropping his forehead against her shoulder arching his back sliding into her almost to his root.  
  
"Vance," Joe pants in his ear, "Oh Maker, please," she begs him hooking her legs around his thighs when he slides out slowly. He sinks his teeth on her shoulder again taking her hand in his, pining it to the side as he rocks his hips languidly into her, still feeling her twitch around him from her first climax. "That," he groans against the side of her face after licking away the sting, "is not my name, sweetling." He grits his teeth lengthening his languid rolls into her, gripping both her hand and hair tight, "Say it."  
  
"Korlen."  
  
Vance wrinkles his nose up stopping his roll and looks into her face, "No, mortal, say my name," he growls letting his spirit side come through.  
  
Joe's eyes fly open, her mouth panting when he pushes through more, the deep and light blue shining on her sheening skin, "Vengeance," she pants out looking into his eyes.  
  
Vance smirks gripping her hand tighter pulling it above her head, "Very good, my mortal mage, my sweetling." He leans down to her ear and whispers while he resumes his deep languid strokes in her, "Say it again."  
  
"Vengeance."  
  
"Yes," he growls, fastening his strokes in her, "again."  
  
"Vengeance," Joe moans when he pushes through even more, pulling her head back even further, arching her neck and chest against him, her breasts pushing hard into him.  
  
"Who do I belong to, my mortal sweetling?"  
  
"Me."  
  
Vance wrinkles his nose up letting go of her hand and leans over her more thrusting his cock deep into her wetness, her magic snap and tugged at his spirit half, pulling and pulling him deeper into her. He growls again snapping his hips hard into her, the sound of flesh slapping against flesh loud in his ears when he grips the headboard, Joe's hands gripping on his shoulders, digging her nails in once more. He feels Joe tighten around him again, the sheen turning into sweat running down her face and body, and Void it was beautiful to watch her come apart once more, feeling her magic go through him.  
  
"Beautiful," he growls letting her hair go and takes hold of her hip gripping hard, the entire bed hitting the wall the more he fucks her into the mattress below. Vance looks down between their leg's and groans loud into the room, watching his cock go into her, getting utterly coated in her juices the more he fucks her. He wants to watch her climax again, he wants to watch her fly apart once more, "Come for me again, sweetling."  
  
Vance doesn't stop his hard pace on her, watching her mouth open and panting under him, they need this, they both do when he feels her tighten around him again. Her nail's dig in even harder when she does, her magic dancing across her sweat soaked skin his name slipping from her lips. He gets pulled under with her when she climax's for a third time, his pace stuttering when he comes hard in her, his own mouth open panting heavily as her magic and mana pull him under once more, her name tumbling over his lips, again and again and again.  
  
Vance opens his eyes letting the headboard go, and cup's her face as he lent down to her lips. "Beautiful. My beautiful, beautiful, mortal sweetling," he smiles, "beautiful." He kisses her lips tenderly, stroking her face with both hands and smiles against them again when Joe starts to smile, her hands carding through his hair, "I never want to let you go," he murmurs before slipping his tongue back into her mouth.  
  
*****  
  
Josephine smiled dipping her head at him, then left him standing there slightly bewildered looking down at the dwarf in the Undercroft. Dagna grinned up at then started giggling when Harritt coughed somewhere behind them.  
  
"Your the Arcanist?"  
  
Dagna giggled again then tilted her head at the mark on his hand, "I am indeed. Can I see it?"  
  
Vance raised an eyebrow and tried not to laugh at her blush, "You'd have to ask Joe to see that, or do you mean the fade piece."  
  
"Oh, um, your hand, I mean your hand."  
  
Vance dipped his head at her and smirked more at her ever growing blush, sitting down on the edge of Harritt's weapon's bench earning a groan from the man. Vance lays his hand palm up on his thigh for Dagna to look at, who now had magnifying eyeglasses on the top of her head. He watched her prod and poke the fade piece, looking through the eyeglasses, occasionally measuring, humming, hurring and then she grinned up at him nodding her head.  
  
"I would say what I think it is, but I think you already know being, er, what you are."  
  
"A key," Vance nod's at her, "A key to both open and close."  
  
Dagna grinned even more at him then frowned tapping the mark, "I would ask if it hurts, but, being what you are, it must boost you? I mean, your a spirit," Dagna grins again taking the eyeglasses from her head, "and magic must flow through you like water, like lyrium. Though-"  
  
"Though what?"  
  
"There's already a dwarven mage here, right?"  
  
"Two half-dwarven mages to be precise, Dagna. Joe and her son Bear. Have you yet to meet them?" Vance looked over her face, feeling the very small tug in her like Joe and Bear had, but no-where near as powerful.  
  
"No, not yet. Two though? Wow, that's just so cool. I wonder if they'd let me study them," Dagna mutters walking away, leaving Vance once again bewildered raising an eyebrow at Harritt, who just shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"To answer your previous question, Dagna," Vance sighs pushing away from the weapon's bench, "It boosts me. And yes, magic is drawn to me, as is lyrium, like any being from the fade."  
  
"But your half mortal. Hmm, I don't suppose I could get a sample from you to study. I mean I've met a few spirits but always so unwilling to part with anything," Dagna sighs at him.  
  
Vance chuckles dipping his head, "All depends on what kind of sample you wish to, gather."  
  
"Oh, I, um," Dagna blushes again looking at his hand, then everywhere else on him, "Um, your hand? And, perhaps anything else your, um, willing to provide?"  
  
Vance was about to answer her again when a loud 'BUGGER' and a clatter from the steps made everyone look up. Bear stood there glaring at the floor, his fists held tight next to his sides and Vance sighed out, putting up a finger at Dagna to help Bear out.  
  
"Bear, what is the matter?"  
  
Bear glared up at him then back down at the staff's, then burst into tears grabbing hold of Vance's leg, "I don't want to break daddy's staff," he sobbed out.  
  
Vance shook his head picking the boy up in his arm's, running his hand down his hair, "I believe Dagna here can help you with that, Bear," he murmurs against Bear's head, "We wont break it, I promise you."  
  
"OOOoooo, this is sooo pretty," Dagna croons picking up Orran's staff then croons over the blue one, "You want them both together?"  
  
Bear nod's his head at her, wiping his face on his sleeve laying his head on Vance's shoulder, "Please," he asks quietly.  
  
"I can do that. The blue crystal on the red one, make a new head for them both, enhance the enchantments. Yes I can do that with Harritt's help."  
  
Harritt nods his head looking the staffs over with Dagna then nodded his head at Bear, "Yeah we can do that."  
  
"Thank you," Bear murmurs then sighs out, patting Vance on his back earning a chuckle from him when Vance kisses his hair.  
  
"And your just so cute, Bear," Dagna grins laying the staffs on the weapon's bench, "Well anyway, I can get samples from you later, no rush. We got work to do as it is!"  
  
Vance dipped his head again and left Dagna and Harritt to it in the Undercroft, heading out the great hall with Bear to the infirmary. Anders and Fenris SHOULD be having their last fittings for their outfits for the Winter Palace, his own fitting was nearly done, but Joe's... he had no idea about hers yet. Bear sighed out on his shoulder again, tucking his head into Vance's shoulder and neck more. Vance chuckled slightly rubbing Bear's back as the boy snorted on his shoulder and started giggling, "Now what's so funny, Bear?"  
  
"Not in the infirmary. Uncle Anders and Fenris are with mama in our room, playing dress up."  
  
Vance chuckled more making a detour around the Herald's Rest to Joe's room, "I suspect it is more Anders playing dress up then everyone else."  
  
"ANDERS, I'M NOT WEARING IT!"  
  
"Uh oh," Vance muttered outside Joe's door looking at Bear, who's looking at him too, "That, does not sound good."  
  
"Sweetheart, you look beautiful!"  
  
"I look like a cake topping," Vance can hear Joe grumble out, and stifled a laugh knocking on the door.  
  
"Fenris where the-" Anders chuckled out opening the door, then grinned looking up at him, "-never mind, get your damned arse in here and sort her out for me huh!"  
  
"I DON'T NEED SORTING OUT! Maker bloody dammit."  
  
Vance smirked at Anders then shook his head kneeling down to let Bear go, and stayed kneeling when Joe comes in wearing what he could only describe was a walking ruffle. His put his hand over his mouth not to laugh at Joe's face glaring at Anders then glaring at him. She threw her hand's up in the air and stomped through the living area giving Anders the biggest stink eye he's ever seen her give anyone.  
  
"Cake. Topping." she ground out unlacing the front, "Bloody ugly, cake topping. Ruffles, frill's, Anders, get. this. thing. OFF ME!"  
  
Anders rolled his eyes at him then at Joe walking slowly over to her, knocking her hand's out the way, "Well, if you wont wear it I will!"  
  
"Then, get it off me so you can take it," she snarked out then sighed leaning her head on Anders shoulder, "I hate frilly thing's. Why Josephine even insisted on it, I have no idea."  
  
"Perhaps she thought it would look pretty on you. Though, she does not seem to know you well by the looks of the, um, cake topping."  
  
"See," Joe grins waving her hand at him, "he gets it. I'll wear a dress, but not this ugly Orlesian monstrosity. I was just-"  
  
Anders slammed a hand over her mouth and glared at her, shaking his head, "Don't you even dare think about it, Joette Cadash-Hawke."  
  
"Too late," she mutters behind Anders hand, then started giggling with her eyes closed thinking about whatever she was going to be wearing when she goes with them.  
  
Vance cocked his eyebrow at them both, neither was telling him anything when he narrow his eyes up at them both, then gave up when he stood. He lent back on the wall behind him watching both of them take the walking ruffle from Joe, then bit his lip feeling his pants get that little bit tight when she steps out of it in nothing but a breast band and short soft pants. Vance chuckled under his breath when Anders pulled her in for a hug and a huge kiss in her lips before he carefully put the monstrosity away in the box. Anders grinned wide at him again, putting the box under his arm, and took Bear by his hand then gave Vance a wink before leaving with the boy.  
  
"So, what's the Arcanist like?"  
  
"She's very sweet, a little round the bend, but a very sweet dwarf. She wants a sample of me, but I told her to ask you for permission first," Vance snickered out then bit his lip at Joe looking over her shoulder at him with her mouth open.  
  
"Makers bloody ball's, your terrible," she shook her head at him opening a long box on the table then jumped up and down clapping her hand's at it, "Oh yes, yes yes yes!"  
  
"Did you not say that the other night, sweetling?"  
  
Joe slammed the lid down on the box and turned round to face him with her hand's on her hips, "I could of sworn that was you," she grinned at him then shook her head turning back round, opening the box again.  
  
Vance grinned while biting his lip pushing away from the wall, walking slowly over to her taking a peak in the box. His eyes went wide looking at the very long pair of black leather boots in them, feeling his pants get very tight all of a sudden looking at them, "Are they for here," he swallowed looking at all the buckles and straps from ankle to top of the boot, "or what?"  
  
"Winter Palace."  
  
"Uh, Joe," he muttered putting his hands on her shoulder pushing his bulge up against her, "I do not think you should wear them there if they do this to me now."  
  
Joe looked slowly up at him pushing against his bulge making him groan out at it, his fingers digging into her shoulders, "Well tough," she grins out at him pushing against him more, "I'm wearing them. But your not going to see what else I will be wearing till we get there. Let's just say, me, Anders, Fen and Varric will be the biggest scandal walking in that place."  
  
Vance moaned out slipping his eyes closed gripping her shoulders harder, pushing his hips in her more, "Your going to be the death of me," he mutters out pulling her backwards to the sofa the living area, "but Void, it's going to be a good death, my sweetling."  
  
"It sounds better in Tevene," Joe purrs at him when he turns her around pulling her on his lap when he sat down on the sofa, "Festis bei umo canavarum."  
  
Vance wrinkled his nose up gripping Joe's hips hard and rolled his hips up into her, then smirked when her hands instantly went to his shoulders digging her nails in. "Mmm Hmm," he murmurs before swiping his tongue across her lips to the small hoop tugged on it gently with his teeth, slipping the soft pants over her hips down to her thighs, "A good death."  
  
Joe whimpers on his lips as his fingers digs in hard to her arse cheeks, some of his fingers slipping over both her holes when they roll their hips together. Her fingers work their way into his hair when he lets her arse go to free himself from his pants. They languidly kiss each other in open mouth kisses then groans into the kiss pulling himself free from the confining leathers. His hands go back to her arse cheeks as his cock is now caught between them with her rocking her hips against him, and he groans again feeling her mound grind against it. His fingers find her holes again, rolling his hips upward to her downward grind, and slips in two to her wet sex.  
  
Joe bucks against the intrusion biting his tongue gently and grinds down on his fingers in her, grinds down on his cock, her fingers digging into his scalp hard. Vance growls under his breath licking down Joe's chin to her neck, leaning forward in the sofa making her lean back so he could run his tongue down to her breast band, and growled low again, pulling the lace free with his teeth. He growled even lower licking down to her breasts, flicking her nipples with his tongue, Joe still grinding down on his fingers in her, against his cock. He takes a chance dipping a third finger in her when she rocks down on him, earning a shocked gasp from her, and he grins against her chest.  
  
Joe's head goes backwards arching her back, pushing her chest into his face more, rolling her hips even harder down on his fingers in her. Vance pants against her skin, licking the sweat forming between her cleavage, licking up to her neck and bites down at the juncture. He slips his third finger out of her when she rocks her hips up, and he hopes to the void she doesn't hit him when he slips his wet finger up her arse in the downward grind. Joe gasps out loud and doesn't move, just grip's his shoulder hard and he feels her heart pound hard in her  
chest.  
  
"Sweetling? Joe?" he mutters on her neck, knowing the void he may of just fucked up completely just by feeling her heart pound hard in her chest, "Void I'm sorry. I-"  
  
Joe slowly lowers her hips into his fingers, and slowly rises again, but her heart still hammered hard in her chest when she does it again. "No," she murmurs out grinding down on him again, "no," she murmurs again gripping his shoulders tighter, "don't stop."  
  
Vance kisses between her cleavage gently, kissing all the way up resuming his slow upward rock, up to her jaw, running his tongue over it to her ear. Joe's heart still hammers hard in her chest, her eyes were shut tight grinding down on his fingers, but she pushed him back into the sofa, her hands carding through his hair. Vance let his eyes slip back closed pushing his head back, letting Joe do whatever she wanted with him, letting her fuck herself on his fingers, letting her mound grind against his cock. Right now it wasn't about him, whether he wanted it or not, right now it was about Joe riding on him, arching her back and hips and he moaned out loud in the room feeling her push harder against his fingers, against his cock between them.  
  
He moans again feeling her magic slip into him, tugging on the fade piece in his hand, feeling the blue pour in through him, and Vance bucked his hips up hard. Void did he love feeling her magic pull at him go through him like water, his bucked his hips again as she ground down hard on his fingers feeling Joe's wet sex tighten around him. He licked his lips when Joe's head rested on his shoulder, feeling her tighten even more, then shot his eyes open when she bit down hard on him, coming around his fingers. He growled and moaned at the same time at the feeling, rolling his hips up against her mound more, and groaned more when Joe licked up from his neck to his ear and panted in it, "I learned a little something from Anders."  
  
He frowned a little then bucked up hard feeling magic run through him from her fingers, and practically screamed when he came hard between them feeling the small jolt of electricity go through him again. His mind swam with the feeling going through him unlike anything he's ever felt before, panting out hard on Joe's neck and realised his hand's were gripping Joe's hips hard.  
  
"Void sweetling," he panted and laughed at the same time, "warn me next time."  
  
Joe chuckled on his lips looking in his eyes, "Sorry. Was nice though, right?"  
  
"Mmm Hmm," he grinned, "I owe Anders a huge thank you," then he frowned pulling Joe away from him a little, "when did he teach you that?"  
  
"Back in Kirkwall. Then at the farmstead when I told him I never used it," Joe blushed dipping her head down, "I guess I should of tried it."  
  
Vance grinned even more looking down at the mess between them, "So you mean to tell me, you never did that before?"  
  
"No, never. Not even with- no never. I didn't even think it would work," Joe blushed again dropping her head on his shoulder, "Maker, I felt it rip right through me too."  
  
Vance laughed hard running his hand's up and down her back kissing the side of her face and neck, "As long as your alright, then I'm fine with it, and, whatever else you want."  
  
"Oh, Ancestor's. Don't let Anders hear you say that, he'll want details and then give tip's."  
  
"Yes well, he is not in this relationship now is he," he grinned leaning back then groaned looking down at the mess again, "I need to bathe and so do you. And I need a clean vest and possibly clean leathers," he smirked looking back at Joe, "whatever you want though, sweetling, I'm willing, as long as Anders nor Fenris get involved with it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't know why Joe froze, I suggest reading Freedom Isn't Free (The first part in the series) to understand why.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A war will begin, and a very unexpected return happens.

_Help me._  
  
Joe looked about herself, Bear held her hand tight trying to find the voice.  
  
_I cannot move._  
  
"Mama?"  
  
"I don't know, sweetheart," Joe muttered holding her sons hand tighter.  
  
Something was calling out to both of them, something that needed their help desperately. The call was strong when it reached out again.  
  
_They are hurting me._  
  
"Oh sweet Ancestor's. Who's hurting you," she calls out the pained voice, "who are you?"  
  
_Help me, please! The pain!_  
  
"No," Bear let her hand go and started to run off. His little legs almost tripping over each other the further he goes in the fade. Joe ran after him, calling his name to come back, but he doesn't hear when he darts around a corner, behind a hideous statue of Andraste.  
  
"MAMA!" Bear screams, and Joe can't run fast enough around the corner, nearly plowing into several spirit's surrounding Bear.  
  
She pushed past them, each and every single one of them had pained expression's on their faces, two were right by Bear's side, holding him back. Joe, looked them both over, nodding to them both-  
  
-then looked up and screamed herself.  
  
"Maker, no," she put her hand on her mouth taking her sons hand again to stop him, "Bear, we need to wake up. We have to wake up!"  
  
Bear's entire face was screwed up, tears streamed down his face trying to pull out from her hand, "She's going to die."  
  
"Not if I can help it, little Bear. We but we have to wake up so we can save her," Joe bends down to her son, cupping his face in her hands, "then we'll find out who did this to her, and make them pay."  
  
Joe looked at the other spirits watching also, a few angry ones joined them, grinding their teeth together at it. Another Justice pushed past them all, her armour gleaming in the green light of that fade, and looked down at Joe.  
  
"This injustice will not stand! Where is the one who is both? Why is he not here to witness this, this perversion?" she spat behind her slotted helm.  
  
Joe shook her head, "I think he's with Feynriel at the moment else where. Maker, can one of you try and find them both, maybe Solas should be here too."  
  
Justice just scoffed as did a few others, "Do not talk to us about that, elf. He thinks he knows us, but he does not. Pathetic little man," she spat again, "I will go gather the one who is two and the fadewalker. This will not stand."  
  
Joe nodded her head, Justice and a few others storming away to find Vance and Feynriel. Maker, Joe looks back at the one who once was Wisdom, and ancient being of Wisdom, writhe in agony, twisting and forming into Pride. And then she screamed when she blinked out of the fade, then back into it. Bear was sobbing hard in her arms, Learning and Hope hand their hands on his shoulder, soothing him also.  
  
"Do any of you know who's doing this?" Joe asked them all.  
  
Fortitude stepped forward, nodding his head sharply, "Mages from your realm, child of the song. They called out to her, and bound her. Now we cannot save her."  
  
Joe ground her teeth hard looking back at Wisdom, "Ancestor's have mercy on their soul, for I fucking wont. We need to find where she is, and then I'll deal with those bastards."  
  
"I maybe able to help with that," a deep rumbling voice echoed out around them, the other spirits parting the way for another. Joe frowned looking at the figure slowly coming towards them. A spirit she doesn't recognise comes forth, it's arms open wide at her when it kneels, a hood covering it's face. She still doesn't recognise it when dips it head at her.  
  
"Who, who are you?" she asks, then flinches looking back at Wisdom when she screams again flickering in and out of the fade.  
  
A hand went on her shoulder gripping it tight, "Hello Just Joe."  
  
Joe nearly went bug eyed when she snapped her head back, looking at the face under the hood, "No, it's can't be... Maker it can't be!"  
  
The spirit smiles from under the hood, then looks over at Bear, "Hello, Alistair."  
  
"Mama? Who's that?"  
  
Joe chokes back on a sob pulling her son tight against her, Learning and Hope stand behind Joe, their hands now in her shoulder keeping her grounded, "Thats, thats- Oh Maker, Bear, thats your father."  
  
"In a sense," the spirit smiled again from under his hood, "We can discuss this later, but we need to save Wisdom before she looses her self to those mages. I can help find where she is being bound."  
  
Joe swallowed loudly, nodding her head. Bear squirmed against her chest trying to push his face further into it, then pulled free when the spirits all bowed their head, backing away from Vance bounding up behind them, Feynriel, Justice and several more in tow.  
  
"Creators, Wisdom... no."  
  
Vance wrinkled his entire face up, shaking his head, "These, mages will pay for this. Joe, Bear, are you alright?" he asks looking down at them.  
  
"Hello again Vengeance, or perhaps Justice? No," the spirit Orran slowly stood up pulling his hood away from his face, looking up, "Your name is Vance now, isn't it?"  
  
"Hawke," Vance whispers out looking him over, "Or should I say, Freedom."  
  
"We can discuss all this later, we do need to save her," Freedom Orran waved his hand at Wisdom, "I can show you the way. But we must hurry, she's not going to last much longer."  
  
Joe screwed her eyes shut looking away from Orran, no, Freedom. She opened her eyes slowly while she stood, Bear was in Vance's arms, his head tucked against his neck looking away from the man who once was his father, but no longer. He should be overjoyed that his father was a spirit now, but he wasn't, judging by the way he tucked his face further against Vance's neck when Orran went to touch him again. She should be overjoyed too, but Joe had no idea how to feel about this.  
  
Joe cleared her throat, "Where, where is she?"  
  
"Near Emprise Du Lion."  
  
"Void take it," Vance paced with Bear in his arms, "I'm heading to Caer Ostwin with Cassandra. Feynriel, can you and Dorian go with Joe to help with this?"  
  
Feynriel nodded, then left them standing there looking at each when he blinked out. Joe sucked in another breath looking up at Freedom Orran, then down at the ground, "We'll meet up at the Winter Palace, Vance."  
  
"Make sure this is done and you kill those depraved bastards, Joe. We cannot loose Wisdom, not now, not for anything. Do what you can to try and save her, please," he begged her, "We just cannot loose one such as her."  
  
"I will, trust me on that. Fortitude, Justice, and anyone else willing to come with us, please do so," she asked them all around her, "We have no idea what kind of mages we're dealing with, and she will need help when we try and free her. Ancestor's, lets save her life."  
  
Fortitude smirked and dipped his head, "If you ever need a guide, child of the song, I'm more then happy to be one for you."  
  
"As am I," Justice bowed.  
  
"Not without me," a Loyalty smiled over Justice's shoulder, Joy nodding beside him, her hands gripping his waist.  
  
Joe would feel floored if there wasn't and urgent situation on at hand, but she just smiled at them all. Vance smiled back at her, holding Bear closer to him. But Freedom Orran just backed away slightly from them all, pulling his hood over his face.  
  
*****  
  
"How the fuck is that even possible?"  
  
Joe shrugged her shoulders spurring her horse on more, Bear held Hammers reign's tight in his hands with Anders behind him. Feynriel and Dorian shared a horse, spurring her on just as much going down the Imperial Highway.  
  
"Andraste's flaming knickers Joe. You don't think EVERY spirit, that all of them were once, people?"  
  
"Amatus," Fenris wrinkled his nose up, gripping Joe's waist tight, "If I become one of them, I'm blaming you for it."  
  
"Would be rather interesting, don't you think? Your Justice and Vengeance were once former mortals," Dorian blinked a few times, then balked, "Kaffas, I dread to think of my mother or father becoming a spirit. Ugh."  
  
Joe heaved a sigh, looking over shoulder, "Solas said that spirits are born in the fade as it is. Makes me wonder though. Justice wanted justice for his death and became what he was. Vengeance- well we all know about him being a former Avvar. Maybe their ideals, their memories get pulled into it. Get shaped and formed into what they wanted at the moment of death. They all seemed rather pissed off with Solas though. Maker, I'm pissed with him and his bloody, 'Whoops, didn't mean to pull you into my dream,' bullshit. Sorry Bear."  
  
"I suppose it is a matter of how strong those ideals are, to become what they are within the fade. Well," Dorian flung up one hand in the air, "now I feel bad asking Death and Decay for guidance. I think I should have a sit down and properly talk to them both."  
  
Fenris shook his head on Joes shoulder, "Just when I thought I was getting used to magic, something new pops up. Venhedis, Joe, are you alright about, Hawke?"  
  
"No, not really," she muttered out, "The moment I let go, the moment me and Vance-"  
  
Joe blinked her eyes, blinking away the tears that wanted to fall and pushed her horse on further. Mutton boofed quietly on Anders lap, Bear didn't look happy at all, gripping the reign's tight in his hands.  
  
"Little Bear," Joe asked, "Talk to me."  
  
Bear screwed his eyes shut shaking his head.  
  
"How much further do you think?" Feynriel asked changing the subject.  
  
Joe closed her eyes again, sucked in a deep breath and slowly let it out, opening her eyes once more looking dead ahead, "Not far now. Just over the next rise."  
  
Everyone went into companionable silence, the only sounds were the wind blowing, the hooves of the horses and the pat-pat of Hammer's feet on the ground. Joe stomach knotted thinking about it all, thinking about the fact Orran, was now a spirit. A bloody spirit of Freedom. One she's never even heard of, but Solas told her they were rare as it was. Even Vance said they were a rarity within the fade.  
  
Maker, were his ideals that strong that he became that? Why didn't he come forward sooner? Why didn't he make himself known to Bear when he was younger, or to her? Or even to-  
  
Joe's mind span slowing her horse down to a trot, pointing with one hand to the camp in the distance, "We'll set up there, and go find these bastards."  
  
"Why are we saving this thing again?" Fenris asked her quietly.  
  
"If we don't Fenris, then there's going to be a large hole were she once was. She's a very old spirit, one a lot of others go to guidance for, one," Joe sighed pulling her horse to a stop, "who can figure out why all this shit happened. If she dies, if she's lost, then everything she has is gone with her. There would be no other to fill that void."  
  
He just huffed on her neck, "What if we can't save her? What if we have to kill her, then what?"  
  
"Then everythings lost," Bear murmured out quietly stroking Hammers head and horns, "So Learning and Hope says. Mama, Fortitude and Justice are close by."  
  
Anders nods his head in agreement, "So are a lot of others. Andraste's flaming sword, a LOT of others. Faith is getting all squirmy at it, Love's trying to calm him down."  
  
Joe ties her horse to the closet tree, then takes her bow from her back. The others doing the same thing with their weapon's. She narrowed her eyes at several corpses hidden among the trees, and groaned out loud. They needed to hurry.  
  
She pulled an arrow out of her quiver, and notched, pulling the string back tight as the all walked through the trees. Sounds of fighting echoed from ahead, and then, the low roar made Joe grit her teeth tight. Fenris motioned with his hand splitting them all up, to flank and to go head on. Joe joined him in going head on, Bear by her side. The others went to flank.  
  
The smell of blood and effluvia stung her nose the closer they got, making her almost flinch at it. Images popped in her head, but shook them off. She didn't want to be reminded of Ostagar nor Adamant right now, but they kept popping through almost blinding her, making her breath out harshly.  
  
A tall white stone came into view in-front of them, humming deeply with magic.  
  
"A binding stone," she murmured looking it over pointing at it with her bow, "We need to break it, and any other we find. Maker, who ever did this has no idea what their doing!"  
  
Bear stuck his staff out, the red and blue crystals glowed brightly before he pushed the end of it into the stone. The thing shattered, exploding everywhere onto them. Joe could feel the lyrium behind it and wanted to vomit when it hit her skin. Bear wrinkled his nose up as much as hers, brushing it off away from him. Joe aimed her bow at another as Fenris struck one more down. Pride writhed in agony, dropping to her knees as the last one was shattered.  
  
Joe ran over to the shaking being, putting her hand on her hulking arm, "We're here to help you," she whispers, "Others are here to help you, Wisdom. Your not alone."  
  
And argument erupted behind her, Anders shouting at the top of his lungs at a set of people shouting at him. Joe looked over her shoulder, and sighed shaking her head at the mages standing there waving their hands at Wisdom, right before both Anders and Fenris culled them all.  
  
"I know your face," a quiet voice said making Joe turn back to the face of a woman. Maker, she was full of holes, flickering, "I know who you are, child of the song."  
  
"Wisdom, keep still. Bear, help me."  
  
"I feel my kin nearby," Wisdom smiles, "Thank you, all of you."  
  
Bear smiles at Wisdom, putting his hand out to her, his healing swirling int he palm of his hand then over Wisdom, making the spirit sigh out at him, "I hope I help, Wisdom."  
  
"Ahh, young one, it does more then you know. You are both strong children of the song, the stones sing with joy once more," she smiles at them again, "It is good to feel ones such as yourselves again."  
  
Wisdoms form began to fill out the more Bear healed her, Anders joining in along side him. Anders dips his head at the old spirit, "Hello Wisdom, good to see you again."  
  
"And you too, Lukas. Though it has been sometime since you sought my council," she chucked, "Ahh child, no need to blush so."  
  
"You said my real name," Anders blushed more dipping his head, "Maker, I haven't been called that in forever."  
  
"Well it IS your given name, Lukas. Anders is just what they forced on you, child."  
  
Joe felt wet roll down her face the more they healed Wisdom, filling her out, filling the holes the mages tore in her. Joe felt more seep into her armour, thinking that Justice could of been healed this way instead of-  
  
"He was already dying, Isana. There really was no other way to save him," Wisdom took her hand, making Joe sigh out at the feeling, "You did the right thing. There is no need to cry, Isana, he and Vengeance are one and the same now. You gave them that gift, you saved them both. Gave Vengeance a second chance to right his wrongs, which he has done has he not."  
  
Joes eyes go a little wide and nods, "Ancestor's, yes. I know, but, if I'd of know spirits could of been healed- maybe, maybe he, he didn't need to die."  
  
"Somethings are written within the stone, Isana. Somethings are meant to be. Somethings, however, are not meant to be," Wisdom glared past Joes shoulder, "May I tell you something, Isana?"  
  
Joe nodded.  
  
"Watch Solas, he is not who he says he is. He asks my council constantly, to which I have no joy in talking with him. None of my kin do. What I tell you, may not be pleasant for any of you."  
  
Bear, Anders and Joe look at each other, then back at Wisdom, "What is it?" Joe asks her.  
  
Wisdom tilts her head and frowns, "He wants to part the veil once more, bring the elven back into their glory. Much like Corypheus wants to bring back old Tevinter. It will destroy your world, and it will almost destroy mine as well. We, want to be apart of your world yes, without fear and retribution, but what he plans to do, is far worse."  
  
"Ancestor's have mercy, are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, I am. He was the one who created the barriers between worlds as it was, and now he wants to destroy it. Your realm, would be no more, and mine-" Wisdom sighs, shaking her head, "There are better ways for all our kinds to exist as one. I would happily be apart of your world if the barrier were not so, thick and clawing to us all. But to destroy what is here now, I cannot abide to that.  
  
He wishes all elves to have their magic returned, he wishes the elven empire to thrive once more. But how can it be, when it has gone because of what happened several millennia ago? I cannot fathom why he wishes to bring it back so badly. Lives have been lived and died since then, humans, dwarves and Qunari have risen, come and gone. My kind do not want him to do what he wishes to do. You MUST stop him."  
  
Joe sat down heavily on her backside, pulling her son into her lap when he started to cry, "Are you telling me," Joe swallows taking hold of Anders hand in her when he grabbed for it, "He would kill us all. Who is he, Wisdom? Who is he really?"  
  
"Fen'Harel, child of the song. He is the Dread Wolf."  
  
"Oh, my fucking Ancestor's," Joe gasps out, "We need to tell the others, Maker, we have to bloody tell them!"  
  
Wisdom shook her head, "Not yet, Isana. You need to vanquish Corypheus first, he is your main priority. Vengeance then can seal the breach as proper, then you can find a way to stop Fen'Harel from doing what he has planned. Let Vengeance pass judgement on him, then find a way to stop him. My kin, I am ready to come home, we have much to plan for."  
  
Bear wrapped his hands around her neck as Wisdom spoke one last time before she left, "Freedom will be joining you shortly. He has much to discuss with all of you. He will meet up with all of you soon."


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags have been updated.

Vance paced outside in the garden's of the Winter Palace, agitation going right through him. He didn't want to be here any more then anyone else, but this damned Empress had to be saved as much as Briala did, as much as Gaspard did. All three of them were as bad as each other with their machinations. Ugh, The Game indeed, one he wanted no part of. He wanted to go and let them all kill themselves in their folly.  
  
He was also pacing because the others haven't arrived yet from Emprise Du Lion, hadn't come here from saving Wisdom, and he was beginning to panic at it. There were far too many Red Templars stalking everywhere, culling everything in their paths.  
  
Josephine was waving a hand at him near the gates, making him sigh out in relief as several mounts rode up fast and hard through the boughs.  
  
The mounts weren't stopping as they came closer, he barely got out the way as Joe's mount ran through the gardens, galloping past fleeing nobles. Hammer glomped past just as fast, Bear and Anders both holding on tight from his saddle. Dorian ran up to him, and slapped his arm, "Fasta Vass, sorry we're late."  
  
"So, why are Joe and Bear riding their mounts into the palace right now?" Vance chuckled.  
  
"To find good seats I believe," Dorian snickered.  
  
Vance shook his head, taking Dorian's arm to walk through the nobles scoffing, fanning themselves behind hands. Feynriel giggled running past them both, holding his robes in one hand, once again sending the nobles into a frenzy with scoffs and huffs.  
  
"Ahh, reminds me too much of balls back home. All I need is my mother coming up with a glass of red wine in her hands, telling me how disappointed she is," Dorian sighed rolling his eyes.  
  
Josephine walked swiftly by them, her golden ruffled dress swishing about, her writing board held stiffly in her hand shaking her head. Cassandra looked at him from the top of the stairs when he enters the Palace with Dorian, then makes a disgusted noise at the back of her throat.  
  
"How much longer do we plan to be here, Josephine?" she asks.  
  
"Until the Empress is saved, Cassandra," Josephine muttered out, "Cassie, we need to do this."  
  
Cassandra sighs out loud, taking hold of Josephine's waist, "I know, but I hate all this, pomp, Josie. Reminds me of my uncle too much," she moans.  
  
Vance and Dorian stand there gobsmacked when they kissed. Vance, had no idea those two were involved. Void, it was rather sweet to be honest when they walk on past the two women kissing in-front of everyone.  
  
"Fasta Vass," Dorian squeals when they get far enough away, "I knew the Seeker had a soft spot for her!"  
  
Vance just nodded letting the cooing mage go, he needed to find Joe as it was. Both her and Bears mounts were being escorted outside, which made him chuckle again. He knew she said they were going to be coursing a scandal with Varric, but that, no that couldn't be it.  
  
He walked up the stairs to the private quarters, slowly walking down the hallway admiring the portraits hung along the walls. A deep swell of sadness echoed through him, thinking about Justice's own, still hung up in the fade. He needed to go back there soon, he needed to make sure everything was still there. Vance knows Joe would agree on going again, and so would Bear.  
  
One of the doors opened with Bear running out half dressed, a shirt wrung up tight in his hands before he threw it down on the ground.  
  
"I don't want to do this, mama!"  
  
"Maker and Ancestor's preserve me, Bear. We have to sweetheart," he heard Joes voice from beyond the door.  
  
"WELL I DON'T!" he shouted back stomping off down the hallway towards him, "I want to go home."  
  
Vance knelt down when Bear stood in-front of him, with his arms crossed over his bare chest, trying to hold his tears back. He slowly shook his head and opened his arms, the boy jumped straight into them and sobbed hard on his shoulder, "What ever is the matter Bear?"  
  
"Everything," Bear just mutters pushing his face into Vance's neck more.  
  
"Vance, we need to talk, but not out there," Joe peaks her head around the jamb, "Bear, we can go home after this and, well, we'll figure it out, okay."  
  
"Figure what out? Will someone please tell me what is going on?" Vance asks everyone packed into Joes room. Anders and Fenris were waving their hands at each other then out the window talking quietly. Varric was oiling Bianca with Lace polishing her bow next to him. Dorian and Feynriel ran into the room and slammed it shut behind them, "Now Joe."  
  
Joe waved her hand and pulled it tight against her chest, "There, no-one can hear us now. Vance love, your going to want to sit for this. Bear, sweetheart, just put your other clothes back on, alright."  
  
"Shall I be the one to deliver the news, or do you?" the voice of Freedom mumbles out from somewhere.  
  
"Okay, thats it, I want you all to tell me what is going on because all this cloak and dagger, is beginning to piss me off," Vance grumbled putting Bear down on the ground, "Why are we all in Joes room and why is Freedom here?"  
  
Joe just shook her head, running a hand over her freshly shorn hair, "Solas is Fen'Harel. He's going to try and tear the fucking veil down around us, killing absolutely everyone except for the fuckings elves. That damned orb he has, that Foci? Was his. He gave the damned thing to Corypheus in the first place to try and destroy him. Which is why, he's pissed off at you for taking his, 'Way into the fade.' Ugh!"  
  
"Wisdom is rallying the others," Freedom pulls the hood from his head looking up at him, "She will not let this stand. He wants this entire world to burn while he brings back the elven empire."  
  
"VOID TAKE IT ALL!" Vance shouted pacing about the room, "He's a dead man."  
  
"We can't do shit to him, Gigantor. We gotta deal with Corypheus first, then him," Varric shrugged polishing Bianca more, "And he's freaking me out," he waved a hand at Freedom.  
  
Vance grit his teeth hard pacing more, "I don't care. Two men with delusions of grandeur trying to destroy this world and ours," he shook his head again, "I have already judged Corypheus, but now I have weighed the scales on Solas. This will not stand!"  
  
"Glad we're on the same page, Vengeance. Good to see you do something... good," Freedom smirks, "As to why I'm here, well, everyone deserves freedom, don't they?"  
  
"Your still freaking me out," Varric mutters, sing-songing it.  
  
Freedom shrugged, "Sorry, I am what I am Varric. I wanted freedom for mages when I died, I wanted freedom for my son. He's not going to get that any more if Solas and Corypheus have their way. Wisdom thought it be prudent I be here, so here I am."  
  
"Your not Hawke," Varric muttered again looking away, "You look like him, but you ain't him. He's dead."  
  
"Can we PLEASE, get back on topic. Thank you," Vance pulled his spirit side through, "I do not care who goes on the throne here, why I'm involved with all this is beyond me. I say we just walk away and leave them to it. Let Josephine, Cassandra, Cullen and Leliana deal with it all while we gather everyone else and shut Corypheus down. He wants in the fade so bad, then lets give it to him. Freedom, I welcome your aid and any other who wishes to tread on this side."  
  
"Theres someone else here we need to talk to," Joe looked up at both him and Freedom.  
  
Vance frowned, "And who might that be?"  
  
"Morrigan," Joe smirks.  
  
*****  
  
Joe shifts the bow in her hands, aiming once more at the Venatori running at them.  
  
"Who invited this lot?" she shouted pulling the string back, letting loose arrow after arrow into them.  
  
"Certainly wasn't me," Freedom laughed slamming the staff down into the ground, letting lightening strike them, "I would of preferred Qunari to these sycophants."  
  
Bear rolled his eyes, putting both his staff and hand out, pulling his hand down and staff up, "Can we kill them and find Morrigan and Kieran, please."  
  
Vance stifled a laugh at Bears face, then at Freedom's when his eyes go a little wide, "He takes after you, or Orran I should say."  
  
"I am Orran, in a sense."  
  
"In a sense," Joe mutters then sighs lowering her bow as the last Venatori falls dead, "Okay, shes here somewhere. Hope this lot didn't kill her, I'll be bloody pissed otherwise."  
  
Joe straps her bow to her back walking ahead again. This, was all a little too odd for her right now. What with Orran's shadow following them, wearing the champion armour he died in, wearing his face, his hair, earrings, everything again. Her mind couldn't cope to the fact he was now a spirit, let alone right here with her again, right when she and Vance were moving along in their relationship together.  
  
Ancestor's and the damned Maker, her heart was torn in two when she looks over he shoulder at them. She loved both of them, but in far different ways now.  
  
"Why do we need Morrigan though, sweetling?" Vance said behind her, putting his hand on Joes shoulder make her smile.  
  
"She's a very powerful mage, Vance love. Ancient magic and the likes. We need her help," Joe rolled her shoulders, and smiled even more when Freedom put his hand on the other side, "If she agrees, then all the better. If not, then we'll do this on our own."  
  
"Then why are we standing here debating this?" Freedom chuckled while he walked off with Vance.  
  
Joe shook her head slowly, "Because we got held up by that lot? Bear sweetheart, come here. I know your upset, but we'll figure it out, I promise."  
  
"I know mama, but, but is he really daddy?" he asks her quietly jumping up into her arms, "He's a spirit like Vance is. Like Cole. Is he really my daddy?"  
  
"Was your father, Bear. Is, I should say, but yes, he's a spirit now. You, never got to see," Joe clamped her eyes shut when they set off again, the other two going ahead talking in low voices, "I told you how he died, you know how Vance and Cole died. You heard what we said about spirits being people, what Solas said too. He, is your father but not, sweetheart. Talk to him, he's not going to hurt you."  
  
Bear lowered his head on her shoulder, "I'm scared to. Whats going to happen to Vance? I like him, don't let him go away."  
  
"He's not going anywhere, Bear. I love him too much to let him go," Joe kissed his hair then sighed into it, "I love your father too. But I love Vance more. When we get out of here, talk to him. If you don't want to, I think he'll understand."  
  
Bear nodded his head on her neck, sucking in a breath as he shuddered. Makers fucking balls, this was a mess. What the hell was she going to do now?  
  
The pull of strong magic went over her skin, strong old magic with a hint of something else behind it too. Morrigan and her son were close by, and thank the shit for that. They needed to get out of here as soon as possible while the rest of her friends keep the court entertained, hopefully. Anders was wearing that bloody hideous Orlesian cake topping, modified of course, and hopefully coursing that scandal she wanted to do with them.  
  
But hey, at least she was wearing those thigh high boots right now, over the top of the black leathers she was going to wear anyway.  
  
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Morrigan's voice laughed out, "If it isn't Joe and her son. And two very strapping spirits in tow as well. T'would seem you have moved up in the world, my friend."  
  
Joe shrugged one shoulder, "I would of brought the Maker, but he was too busy plowing Andraste. Morrigan, meet the Inspiritor, sorry, Inquisitor."  
  
Morrigan's eyes widen from the doorway, then grinned, "So, seems fate favoured you indeed, Vengeance. And this one, I remember you being less, spirit like, the last time we met Hawke."  
  
"Indeed. But we have come to ask your aid, Morrigan," Vance rumbled, "And the name is Vance now. Please use it."  
  
"Oh delightful," she grinned even more.  
  
*****  
  
Morrigan paced around the room, trinkets of the arcane glistened in the veilfire lit around the room. Kieran and Bear sat together with Muttons, playing together, showing each other their magics while the rest of them look up at the mirror with no reflection.  
  
"He cannot be serious in doing this!" Morrigan spat.  
  
"Both of them are, Morrigan," Joe sighed, "We need to deal with Corypheus first though."  
  
"Pah, the folly of Tevinter and its depravity knows no bounds. And Solas, of all the-" Morrigan span on her heals to the mirror, "I know what Corypheus desires, and he desires the eluvian in the Arbor Wilds. But what he doesn't know," Morrigan smirked at them from over her shoulder, "is that all the mirror's require a key to open."  
  
Vance lent on the wall by the mirror, "Thats why the Venatori and the Red Templars were looking through old elven ruins, to find a key. Much like the fade piece in my hand is one."  
  
"Well done, Vance. But he is destroying everything in his path to get into the fade once more," Morrigan rolled her shoulders looking at them all, "We need to get there first before he does."  
  
"Can this, mirror," Freedom waves his hand at it, "get us there quicker?"  
  
Morrigan shook her head, "Fraid not. That one seems to be locked from the other side. But I do know a mirror that's not too far away from Tarasyl'an Te'las. We can arrive there then make our way to the Arbor Wilds before he knows whats happening."  
  
"I shall go gather the others who are coming with us. We cannot delay this any more, this ends now," Vance pushed away from the wall then left the room.  
  
"He's Definitely grown, Joe," Morrigan smiled at her, "Don't think I never found out what you did within the fade. And as for you Hawke," she glares at him, "blowing up half the Gallows. I would say well done, but twas a bit, excessive, wasn't it?"  
  
Freedom Orran smirked, "I was dying. What else could I have done? Had a tea party instead while I coughed my lungs up?"  
  
"I suppose not. And I thought I was one who liked to do things larger then life," Morrigan chuckled, "I have never done things by half at all."  
  
"Like your son," Freedom murmured out at her.  
  
Morrigan narrowed her eyes, then sighed looking over at Kieran, "Yes. But he's MY son now, and I will protect him no matter the cost. Even it were to mean I gave my life up, he is my son."  
  
"And theres your answer, Morrigan. I didn't do it just for the mages, I did it for Alistair."  
  
"Even knowing you might never of seen him again?" Morrigan said quietly to him, searching his face.  
  
Freedom nodded his head, "I would do it again. I would do it all over again, for Joe, for Anders, and especially for Alistair."  
  
"Do you still lover her?"  
  
He looks over at Joe and lowers his head, "I do, but," he sighs, "she had no idea I became this. And she moved on, I wanted her to move on. It has been over five years now," he looks back at Morrigan, "You would do the same, would you not?"  
  
"I," Morrigan frowned looking down at the ground, "I, wouldn't exactly know. I never, loved... before. Kieran is," she swallowed loudly, "Kieran is Aeden's son, and he wants nothing to do with him. I, don't blame him after what I did to be honest. I was cruel and unkind to him, to them all. But I never loved him."  
  
"You and-" Freedom cocked his head at her, "But is he not married to..."  
  
Morrigan scoffed, "Yes he is. All the better to them, I say. I was selfish back then, I manipulated everyone and everything. But when, but when I had Kieran," she smiled, "he changed everything that I was. Even if Aeden didn't care, even if I manipulated him into doing it, he's still my son. He changed me."  
  
"From what I have heard from within the fade, from the others, you raised him on your own. You could of had help, Morrigan. I made Joe go to the dwarves, I regretted that decision when I was, well, Orran Hawke. I know Joe would of helped you as well," Freedom smiled at her, putting his hand on her shoulder, "You no longer have to be alone in this world. There are others who would be by your side, no matter what has happened and may."  
  
Morrigan narrowed her eyes again, "Are you flirting with me, spirit? Or is this your way of saying everyone is free to choose?"  
  
"What if I said both," Freedom grinned, "What would you do then, hmm?"  
  
"You remind me of someone," Morrigan smirked tapping her chin, "Oh yes... me. You don't want to tread that line, spirit, lest you get burned."  
  
Freedom lent down to her ear, "I much prefer lightening, a much better... spark."  
  
"I see why she took to you while you were, mortal. In a different life perhaps, things could of been different," Morrigan looked down at the ground again, "if there will be one if we don't act soon. I wont loose my son to either of them."  
  
"Then lets make sure ours sons, have worlds to grow up and wander within."  
  
*****  
  
Everyone in Skyhold watched the group cross over the bridge, Vance at the head of the group shining like a beacon in the night. Scouts and guards ran to meet them, taking the mounts away, asking why they were all back so soon.  
  
"Because we have a greater need then Orlesian politics," Vance ground out, "Lace, gather what scouts you can then head to the war room, your needed as much as anyone right now."  
  
She nodded her head and ran off with Varric in tow. Anders ran towards the infirmary with Fenris, Dorian and Feynriel went ahead to the library to gather everything they needed.  
  
Morrigan spoke in a low voice to her son, nodding her head when he took Bear by the hand, Mutton running after them both when they went another direction.  
  
"So this is Skyhold, I'm impressed," Orran smiled looking about himself, "A lot of magic here laid onto of each other. I see why Solas wanted to use this place badly."  
  
"Oh?" Morrigan tilted her head at him, "And how do you know that?"  
  
"Wisdom and few others mentioned this is where he put the barriers between worlds all those millennia ago," Orran sighed looking at her, "It reaches the sky, but yet," he frowned closing his eyes letting the other side of him through, "I think I know what Joe feels when she touched the stones of this place... sadness."  
  
A boy in a floppy large hat ran over to them waving his hands about, "No, no, no, you can't be here! Freedom, you can't be here."  
  
"A spirit of, Compassion?" Orran looked the boy over, "I am here though."  
  
"But, Joe," the boy looked pained looking over his shoulder, "I, I, I told her you were with your brother and sister. I, I told her- No no no, you can't be here!"  
  
Morrigan frowned lifting the boys floppy hat from his head, "He's here now as much as you are, child. So stop waving your arms about like a bird and help us. We have work to do."  
  
"But- okay, I can help. My name is Cole," he grinned taking his hat back, "Is Wisdom safe?"  
  
"She's safe and whole, and with everyone else within the fade, Cole. For the moment that is," Freedom Orran smirked at the boy.


	18. Chapter 18

The sentinel elf furrowed his brow at them all, looking each and every single one of them over. Abelas slowly pulled the hood from his face, showing them all the vallaslin of Mythal. All of the sentinel's had the same blood writing, the same armour. But yet, Abelas still gauged them all while his white blond hair tumbles down his shoulder.  
  
"Are you certain?" he asks them all.  
  
"Never more certain, Abelas," Joe dips her head, "We wouldn't be here otherwise. We did the ritual as well, just so we can be here to stand in-front of you to ask for your aid."  
  
Abelas sighed walking slowly down the steps, "Mythal protected us for millennia, we awaken to find the world has changed far too beyond our understanding. We protect the vir'abelasan from outsiders, protect everything here. But what if you say is true," Abelas looked pained, "I will aid you."  
  
"What about the rest of your, sentinel's, Abelas?" Freedom looked over them all, "Will they help us, or will they remain here locked away forever? Wisdom finds it to be, odd, that you do so."  
  
Abelas cocked his head, "How many more from the beyond will be here, Freedom? How many of them are willing to fight for theirs as much as we protect the vir'abelasan?"  
  
"All of them, Abelas. Trust me on that," Vance rumbled out, "Corypheus needs to die, and Fen'Harel will tear everything apart. What would it matter if you protected this place, when he would destroy everything around him to bring back the empire again?"  
  
"You do not what you ask for, spirit. To drink from the vir'abelasan will mean you are bound to Mythal," Abelas shakes his head slowly, "But even so, if Fen'Harel were to come here and take all that knowledge as well as this, Corypheus- Do what you must then."  
  
Joe slyly looks over her shoulder at the tall elves behind them talking among themselves, she could hear certain words being said, but not all. Morrigan was the one to translate the ancient elven writings, figured what the well was, but to be bound to an ancient elven being, like Mythal? Joe didn't want THAT responsibility in the least. She didn't want the others either to be bound to this being, but Morrigan on the other hand-  
  
Joe looked forward again at Abelas, who was eyeing her intently once more, then to Bear. His head cocked slightly as he braided his hair down his back.  
  
"You are Durgen'len but yet, you, are a shemlen?"  
  
Joe scoffs, lifting her hand up letting her magic swirl about in it, his eyes widen dropping his hands, his braid forgotten when he steps forward, "Mage too. So is my son," she grins.  
  
"She'va dhal, your a, your-" Abelas says something so fast to the other sentinel's behind her, she couldn't keep up, other then hearing 'stone.' He looks back at her, grasping her hands tightly in his, earning a little bit of a growl from both Vance and Freedom, "Your an Elgar'Durgen, a spirit of the stone! There hasn't been one of your kind in so long."  
  
"Well," Joe raised her eyebrow at him, "thats a new one. Both Morrigan and Solas call me Isana, its dwarva for singing stone. But spirit of the stone?"  
  
Abelas starts to grin, "Would seem your kind has forgotten where they once come from. In terms I hope you understand, Elgar'Durgen, your a child of the titans."  
  
Joe felt something stir in her when he said that, something flicked over her mind, "But," she swallowed, closing her eyes, "I wasn't the only one! There, there was another dwarf we found several months back, who died a long time ago. Half-dwarf like me, like my son. You mean to tell me-" Joes mind flickered again and shook it off, "I think your mistaken, Abelas."  
  
"I'm not. I see why they follow you," Abelas waves his hand at the two men behind her, glowering at him, "I will come to Tarasyl'an Te'las with you all, we all will."  
  
Joes mind went nineteen to a dozen when he lets her hands go, it went every which way when he guided Morrigan to the well. A child of the titans? But, titans weren't real, were they? They were just legends as much as... She rubbed her temples, if Fen'Harel was real, then Mythal was real, then that means the titans were real too. Everything, was real.  
  
Corypheus stormed the Golden city as it was, corrupting it, turning him into a Darkspawn. The first fucking Darkspawn. So titans HAVE to be real. Maker and Ancestor's, Joe didn't know what to do now with that knowledge at all. Her mother was a Carta dwarf for fucks sake, not some- no- unless its a throw back from-  
  
What if Maric lied to her, what if they all lied to her about who she was? What if he found her somewhere? He, did venture into the deep roads as it was, maybe he-  
  
"he's not my dad at all," Joe whispers, "everything I've ever known is a lie. Everything."  
  
She felt bile rise up in the back of her throat, everything she was, she knew, and is, everything was a lie. Everything she went through for years, being beaten and raped, being tossed around like garbage, forced to be something she wasn't, was a lie to keep her from knowing.  
  
Who the fuck was she then?  
  
*****  
  
Morrigan was resting in her bed, the voices rolling in her mind like a swarm of angry wasps, each voice trying to be heard over the top of each other. Anders was sitting next to her, monitoring her vitals incase. Joe on the other hand had locked herself away in her room with Bear, which upset him immensely. He wanted to talk to his damned son, no, Orran's son, who is him, was him.  
  
Bah, he was confusing himself here standing outside her door. He IS Orran Hawke, who is now Freedom. Vengeance, no, Vance was happy to have him return, but his own son didn't seem to like him very much at all. And that hurt. His own son wanted nothing to do with him, but he understands, sort of. He did die after all, and now, he's not dead? Would confuse the hell out of him too.  
  
Orran sighed and knocked on the door then listened for a reply.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Orran sucked in a deep breath, "It's Fre- sorry, it's Orran, Joe."  
  
The sound of something moving, then the door latch being pulled back, made him internally smile, but he had to reign it in right now when he pushed the door open.  
  
"What can I do for you, Orran?" she asks him from a desk, not even looking at him.  
  
"Morrigan is still recovering, but she believe she knows a way to defeat the dragon Corypheus has with him," Orran shuffles his feet after he closed the door, looking out one of the windows in her room, "Vance and the others are getting ready at her signal to go. The rest of the Inquisition are still at Halamshiral, and, not very happy you all left by the way."  
  
Joe scoffed slamming a book shut in-front of her, "Like I give a shit. So, who's going to be ruling Orlais now?"  
  
"All of them are, apparently. They'll be coming back in a few weeks, and by then," he pulls the hood from his face and turns to face Joe, "Corypheus will be dead. Fen'Harel on the other hand, will be a different matter. Abelas and the rest of the sentinel's have taken over the gardens," he chuckles.  
  
Joe nodded her head at him, turning around in her chair. He noted, Bear was sitting on the floor holding Mutton close to his chest, staring at him, but not in a good way either.  
  
"Did you know the dwarves were taller then the Avvar at one point?" she asks him, making him frown as he blinked rapidly.  
  
"I- no I didn't," he was feeling a little, confused here.  
  
"Well they were, and the titans were the size of mountain's. Something happened to the dwarves to make them as they are now, whether is was having lyrium stripped from them, or enslavement, or something else. But dwarves weren't always short shits," she tapped the book on her desk, "Bear, will always be short, sorry sweetheart. Me on the other hand, I'm taller then the average half-dwarf, apparently."  
  
Orran frowned even more looking over her face. Memories went through him of years ago of Joe being in a similar situation down in the deeproads, finding her family name etched on the plinth she found.  
  
"Where are you going with this, Joe? Is it because of what Abelas said?"  
  
"Yes. It made me think of EVERYTHING about my damned life. That every, single, thing," she got up out of her chair to stand in-front of him, "was a lie. All of it. Why magic is drawn through me like water, why I can't imbibe lyrium. Why spirits both want to be near me, but yet, their afraid to. Why my magic both repulses but yet, draws in certain ones. Like it did with yours. Why I can finally hear the stones thanks to that damned lyrium lined bow we found. Because everything-" Joe sighs and does something he doesn't expect.  
  
She rests her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him like she used too. And did that make him ache... and hurt.  
  
Orran puts a hand on her shoulder, "Everything what?"  
  
"Because everything points to what Abelas said: I am a child of a titan. I am of the stone. A true, child of the stone as is Bear. Both of us, thanks to you, thanks to Vance, Justice, Kirkwall, Ostagar, Shaperate Cadash, Shayle, all of you, made me see what I truly am now. I understand, even if it's confusing as fuck."  
  
Joe looks up at him and smiles sadly, "I tread the fade as a dreamer would, but the stones are there, always there. I never did that before. And then Solas finding out I can too, pulling me and Bear against our wishes into his dreams, asking us constantly why we listened to the stones here. He knew I'd find out, he knew Bear would find out the truth of who he really is. Why the spirits now come to me and Bear, because we are one and the same. All of us. Everything is connected, everything tied to lyrium, to the stone, to dreams, everything."  
  
"Joe, would this world even be ready if spirits were to walk among them, free?"  
  
"Probably not, but they weren't ready for damned mages and Templars slaughtering everyone, either," Joe shrugs moving away from him, "weren't ready for the conclave blowing up killing the Divine. Weren't ready to know about damned Corypheus, as well. But as I've said, as you, Vance and Feynriel has said before, everyone deserves the same freedom as everyone else, no matter who the hell they are."  
  
Orran smiled wide at her, smiled wide bringing her in for a tight embrace against him, "I would kiss you right now, but I think Vance would have a few choice words."  
  
"Go kiss him first, then come back," Joe laughed slapping his arm.  
  
Something tugged on his arm, making him look down at Bear narrowing his blue-green eyes up at him, "I want to talk to you. Please."  
  
"I'll leave you two to talk. I need to go check on Anders as it is," Joe ruffled her sons hair.  
  
*****  
  
Everything was set in place as they all ran to the ruins of Haven. Corypheus made his displeasure known to them all, by sending a massive troupe of Red Templars to Skyhold, but they weren't expecting the sentinel's on the battlement's taking them out. And they certainly weren't expecting several fade rifts opening behind them, the denizen's of the fade flooding out to cull them as well.  
  
Corypheus wont know what's going to hit him when they all arrive there, at all.  
  
The Templars and mages from the Eyrie, followed then all. Spirits of all kinds walking among them, freely. All of them angry, all of them putting the plans in motion that was set. And Vance couldn't wait to see the Magister's face for what they had planned. But that, was just one of several that would be in place.  
  
This one took precedence though.  
  
Haven was a mess, no more then a mess, some of it was floating up into the sky the closer they got. The Magister was raving at them all that he was their god, to bend their knee to him. As if any of them would.  
  
Vance could see the foci in the things hand, pulling the ruins up into eh sky more when they chased him. Lace and Varric fell back to the earth, leaving himself, Freedom Orran, Joe and Morrigan to deal with him. Everyone else was back at Skyhold, waiting for the injured or dead. No, nothing here was going to let anyone else die, except for the raving mad Magister.  
  
"You were judged, Corypheus," Vance boomed as his spirit half, swinging his huge axe at the creature, "You were found wanting. And wanting you will be!"  
  
"I AM YOUR GOD!"  
  
Joe pinged him in the face with her silver tipped arrow, the thing lodged itself in his left eye, "Yeah, how about no."  
  
"You will all kneel to the will that is Corypheus!" he shouted ripping the arrow away from his face.  
  
He trusted the foci up into the sky, widening the breach more. Perfect, Vance smirked then charged at him while he was occupied. Several Justice's and Fortitude's bolstered the mages behind him before charging themselves. Loyalty and Valor charged with the Templars as the Magister struggled to keep hold of the foci.  
  
Vance put his hand up at the breach, letting it flow from his hand, his spirit self, into the sky negating what Corypheus was trying to do as everyone hounded him. The foci dropped from his hand and broke in two, and Vance smirked even more.  
  
"You want in the fade so badly," he put his hand on the things head when it fell onto his knees, bleeding, "then allow me to help you."  
  
Morrigan flew over head, ripping the neck out of the fake archdemon's neck, they both plummeted to the ground with a huge thud somewhere in the distance. He could see Joe and several mages run to help her while he dealt with Corypheus.  
  
Orran put his hands on the Magister's shoulders, then nodded his head at Vance, "Say hello to my father for me in the void."  
  
Corypheus tried to scream as he was pulled into the tear that formed inside his body, sucking him in from the inside out. It, was a little disturbing to watch, the black ooze that was his blood poured out from his mouth, the last thing to be turned inside out before vanishing with a green flash, when the tear closed killing him.  
  
Now, the second plan was going to be set in motion when Vance put his hand up to the sky once more, and pulled the breach shut as it should be. The smaller tears all snapped shut at the same time, culling the twisted around them. All except one.  
  
"We need to get away from here, Vance," Orran muttered out, as the ruins started to fall from the sky "If I die again, I'm coming back to kick your arse!"  
  
"Not if I get there first," Vance laughed out running down the steps crumbling away.  
  
*****  
  
Leliana looked over her reports with Josephine, both of them still in shock at the outcome three months prior. The Inquisitor, the mages and Templars, along with elves they had no idea existed and spirits from the fade had vanquished Corypheus, before they even got back from the Winter Palace.  
  
But still, they skimmed over the reports that were left when Cassandra stormed into the war room.  
  
"We cannot find them anywhere," Cassandra muttered running a hand through her hair, "Every single one of the has vanished into thin air."  
  
"They can't of gone far! Thats every single Templar, mage, gone. The Inquisitor, gone. Varric, Joe, her son-" Leliana lent her head against the wall, "All I found was a note saying Solas is not who he says he is, and thats it. Nothing about where over seven hundred people have gone, nothing."  
  
"What are going to do now?" Cassandra slammed her hands on the table.  
  
Leliana chuckled darkly, "Besides me becoming Divine? We carry on, we have no choice but too now."  
  
"Has anyone seen Cullen too? Or Ser Barris? Have They vanished also?" Josephine scribbled out, then threw the board against the wall, ink slowly staining the stones, "We have no leader, we have no Inquisitor, we have nothing! How can we just 'Carry on,' Leliana?"  
  
"We leave Skyhold behind, go to the capital, Josie," Leliana pushed away from the wall and removed the hood from her head, "Become my left hand while Cassandra remains the right. We have reform to do as it is within the chantry. We'll take what Inquisition soldiers we can, those who still want to follow and let the rest go home. If we find out were the rest of them have gone in the mean time, then mores the better. We've done what we wanted to do, now lets set the reforms in motion."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation -  
> Durgen'len - Elven word for dwarf AKA 'children of the stone.  
> Elgar'Durgen - I made that one up, AKA Spirit of the stone AKA child of the titan.  
> Isana - Dwarven word for lyrium.  
> She'va dhal - Buggered if I know. Merrill said it in DA2 at Ketojan during 'Shepherding Wolves' I think it kinda means 'Holy shit,' or 'Well, damn,' lol  
> Tarasyl'an Te'las - Skyhold AKA the place where the sky was held back.  
> Vir'abelasan - Well of sorrows.


	19. Epilogue.

Several people stood on the outskirts, looking over the mountains, looking over the huge tall trees. The cold air whipped over the faces, snow falling down in little flakes over the valley beyond.  
  
The green light of the only remaining tear flickered against the snow, sending sparkling light over the figure who emerged from within.  
  
"A well chosen place, child of the song," the woman smiled opening her arms wide at the people standing there waiting for her.  
  
"I thought you'd like it, Wisdom. The Avvar welcomed us all, and well," Joe grinned embracing her, "their more then happy to have you all here too."  
  
Wisdom kissed the top of her head, waving her hand at the rest of them to join.  
  
Vance slowly shook his head, holding Bear in his arms, Orran grinning just as wide as his son. Varric and Anders just snorted out loud, brushing the hair from their faces, joining in the embrace with a reluctant Fenris in tow. Abelas sighed out loud, then smiled being drawn into it all along with everyone.  
  
"Today, starts a new day for us all," Wisdom spoke to them, "A war will come, and Fen'Harel will not be prepared for it at all."  
  
"And neither will Tevinter," Dorian smirked running up to them and threw his arms around Joes waist, "Maevaris has already got supporters, and Fasta Vass, lets kicks some ass!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends this part of the series. Thanks for joining me so far in it :)


End file.
